Beware of Lamine

Lamine Yamal is a phenomenon that appears every few years. No one can argue against it anymore. He is even capable of being applauded at the Santiago Bernabéu after a remarkable performance with Spain on a night reserved for Vinicius Junior and Brazil to shine. But his phenomenal performances should not lead to risky situations that may later be regretted. Xavi Hernández at Barça, Luis de la Fuente in the Spanish national team, and Santi Denia, if he ends up calling up Lamine for the Olympics, have a huge responsibility: to prioritize collective and player interests over personal ones. It’s not easy when you have such a talent on your hands, but unfortunately, there have been recent cases at FC Barcelona that advise maximum caution and prudence. Pedri, Ansu, and even Gavi slowed down their progression due to injuries, and although each situation is different, comparisons are inevitable. Especially with Pedri, who in his first season at Barça, with the Euros and Olympics included, played a whopping 73 games.

Numbers that are scary Although both Xavi and De la Fuente try to manage Lamine’s workload, the Barcelona winger has already played 45 games this season. With Barça (39), he only missed the 4-0 rout against Getafe at Montjuïc, when Xavi left him on the bench without minutes after 8 consecutive starts in La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League. In the Copa, he didn’t play in the first two rounds, but that was to serve a suspension he had carried over from the Youth team. And with the national team, he has played 6 out of 8 matches, only missing the October window after attending the camp with muscle problems and being evaluated by the RFEF doctors.

Lamine’s situation is crazy: a great play by the boy that ends in a penalty Lamine Yamal caused a penalty against Brazil / Teledeporte

Lamine could end up playing 69 games in a hectic season if both Barcelona and the Spanish national team, as well as the Olympic team, reach the latter stages of their respective competitions (Champions League, Euros, and Olympics). These are frightening numbers that should lead to reflection.

Although everything seems to be happening very quickly, Lamine Yamal is still a 16-year-old footballer (he will turn 17 on July 13) who, as is typical for his age, has not yet fully developed physically, which can lead to injuries. Specifically, he has played 2,478 minutes this season: 1,265′ with Barça (out of 3,600′ possible) and 313′ with the Spanish national team (out of 540′ possible).

A practically unique case A case like Lamine’s has not even occurred with Leo Messi, the greatest of all time, who made his official debut for Barça at 17 years and 3 months old. Pelé, Maradona, ‘Kun’ Agüero, Martin Odegaard, or Neymar debuted at 15 years old. Colombians James (14 years old) and Falcao (13) did it even earlier, but none of them were subjected in their early years to the level of pressure that the Barcelona academy player already bears on his shoulders.

In conclusion, the goal is not to squander this golden opportunity. Neither Barça nor Spanish football can afford to lose such an impressive talent like Lamine. It is true that the Barcelona club can do little if he is called up for the Olympics and that, in the end, it will depend on the RFEF and the will of the player himself. But sanity must prevail among all parties.