Yamal is on course win La Liga title with Barcelona.
At 17 years of age, Lamine Yamal—intentionally or not—makes a strong case for being the greatest soccer player in the world right now.
There’s already chatter about who will win the next Ballon d’Or—of which the champion is widely considered the best—in over five months. While each runner and rider’s fortune may hinge on the weeks until then, he’s one of the early contenders. Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, and his Barcelona comrades Raphinha and Pedri are well in the mix, too.
Although not prolific in scoring terms, Yamal has set up more goals than anyone in La Liga this season. As well as topping the assist charts—helped by Blaugrana buddies who can finish off the chances—he’s a dominant leader in successfully beating/dribbling past opponents. If the last campaign was an amuse-bouche, Yamal has brought the full flavor in 2024/25, and there’s still much room for improvement numbers-wise.
Collectively speaking, he and Barça have secured the league title and Copa del Rey, and he will be seeking a second trophy with Spain when the UEFA Nations League semifinals commence in June. After that, an arguably overused Yamal will earn a much-deserved breather outside the spotlight. Unlike Real and Atlético Madrid, Barça won’t feature in FIFA’s transformed Club World Cup this summer. And although eligible in terms of age, he won’t be representing La Roja at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Slovakia.
Ongoing Attention, But No Pressure On Champion Yamal
In any event, evaluating Yamal by figures, achievements, and rankings alone slightly misses the point. As the buzz around him continues, he’s tearing it up because he doesn’t seem to care much for anything other than having fun. Such is the expectation of players at big clubs, it’s easy to overlook how creatives, in full inventive mode, usually shine brightest without any burden on them.
By all accounts, Barcelona boss Flick has proved a good coach for the Spanish prodigy.
The result is a Yamal unafraid of making mistakes, trying audacious runs, forward passes, shots, and frequently achieving the desired effect or something close. “I just try to enjoy myself, and make sure that it’s enjoyable for the people who watched the game,” he told CBS Sports Golazo after wowing in Barça’s 3-3 tie with Inter Milan in the Champions League semifinal first leg. He was just as excellent in the second, despite Barcelona bowing out.
Here, coach Hansi Flick deserves lots of credit, too. There are two pressures on Barcelona players—to win, and to win in style. Within this context, Flick—demanding discipline and hard running from his squad—has also given Yamal the freedom and protection to express himself. The winger needn’t feel the heat; he will have plenty more shots at silverware with Barça, assuming he signs an eye-popping contract extension beyond 2026.
There have been comparisons to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but none make much sense. Off the field, he may have more of the extraversion radiating from Ronaldo, Forbes’ highest-earning athlete. However, depending on one’s taste, he’s akin to the Argentinean great in playing with a dash more artistry on it. You get the sensation he’s pursuing pure moments rather than statistics.
Under the eyes of the soccer world, Yamal’s free spirit, as if he were practising his tricks on the streets of Rocafonda where he grew up, makes him a superstar.
