Xavi’s Discovery: Lamine Yamal’s Journey to the First Team

Upon his return from Qatar, the coaching staff met with the heads of the youth football department. During the discussion, Lamine Yamal’s name came up, and he was observed playing with the youth team. The Favor Dembélé Did for Lamine Yamal Lamine Yamal’s explosive emergence in professional football is staggering, even for those who witnessed his brilliance in Barcelona’s youth academy. When a homegrown player debuts for the first team, there’s usually a period of adaptation. Despite breaking into the first-team setup, Yamal’s journey wasn’t exempt from this process. In fact, Xavi hadn’t closely monitored him upon his return to Camp Nou in November 2021. One of Xavi’s initial decisions upon arriving in Barcelona was to meet with youth football officials to identify promising talents. During this meeting with José Ramón Alexanko and Toni Hernández, Lamine Yamal’s name was mentioned. Xavi noted him down after hearing positive reviews from those who had been observing him. Despite having numerous priorities, Xavi continued to track Yamal’s progress, especially in the following season when he played for the Juvenil team.

Xavi wasted no time in recognizing Yamal’s talent, even at a young age. By September 2022, Xavi invited him to train with the first team. His performance left teammates in awe. With Dembélé’s departure, Xavi turned to La Masia for solutions, finding one in Lamine Yamal.

He Passed Every Test Despite this, Yamal had to wait several months to make his debut. He underwent internal assessments to ensure he was emotionally and tactically ready. Typically, youth players fall into three categories upon reaching the first team: those discarded due to adaptation issues, those who pass and require further monitoring, and those like Gavi or Ansu Fati who seem destined for success. Yamal belongs to the latter group. He resumed training with the first team in April 2023 and made his official debut against Betis that same month. Since then, his name has been synonymous with the future of Barcelona football.