FC Barcelona and Lamine Yamal’s La Liga title defense began in emphatic style last weekend with a 3-0 victory over Mallorca at Son Moix. Raphinha, Ferran Torres, and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal found the scoresheet, with Yamal delivering yet another unforgettable performance to remind the world that he is not only Barcelona’s present, but also its future.
While the night also marked the debut of Marcus Rashford, who joined Barça on loan from Manchester United this summer, it was the 18-year-old Catalan who stole the show. Yamal assisted the opener for Raphinha, dazzled throughout with his dribbling and invention, and capped the win with a stoppage-time wonder goal. That’s the kind of finish that has already become his trademark.
Rashford, who was introduced in the 69th minute, watched Lamine Yamal’s brilliance up close. Days later on Tuesday, he gave an interview to Catalan newspaper Sport in which he delivered glowing praise of his new teammate.
“He’s the most talented player I’ve ever played with for his age,” Rashford said.
“I haven’t played with, or seen, anyone with the impact he has on the game. Maybe Ronaldo Nazario… To have that influence on the pitch at such a young age and on such a consistent basis is incredible. He has a long career ahead of him, and I hope he maintains his level and even improves.”
Coming from a player who has shared a dressing room with prodigies like Mason Greenwood, Jadon Sancho, and Jude Bellingham, the comparison carries real weight. To even mention Yamal in the same sentence as the legendary Ronaldo Nazario is evidence of how highly Rashford already rates him.
Lamine Yamal only turned 18 last month, but he is already a La Liga champion, Copa del Rey winner, and European champion with Spain, playing a decisive role at Euro 2024. Last year, he finished eighth in the Ballon d’Or rankings. Rashford believes it’s only a matter of time before he wins the game’s most prestigious individual prize.
“Yes [he can win the Ballon d’Or], definitely,” Rashford continued. “If he doesn’t win it this year, he will win it in the future. [Ousmane] Dembélé, Raphinha, they all deserve it. It’s hard to pick one, but they’re all mature and have had a fantastic season. Lamine is so young that he’s sure to win it.”
Yamal’s numbers from last season already back up that prediction. He scored nine goals in 35 La Liga appearances, added five in the Champions League as Barcelona reached the semifinals, and registered double-digit assists across competitions.
Rashford highlighted not just Yamal’s skillset, but also his remarkable mentality.
“He’s a top talent, a top player,” Rashford said. “The most surprising thing is how mature he is for his age, how he thinks and plays. He’s way beyond his years. It’s exciting to play with him, and with others too.”
Lamine Yamal’s Coronation at Son Moix
If Rashford’s words sounded lofty, Lamine Yamal’s performance against Mallorca gave them substance. In the final seconds of the match, he picked up the ball on the right, slalomed past defenders, and bent a left-footed strike into the top corner – the quintessential “Yamal goal.”
He celebrated by lowering an imaginary crown onto his head in front of the Son Moix stands. The symbolism was impossible to miss: Barcelona’s new No. 10, the teenager handed the shirt of legends Messi, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and Maradona, was embracing the pressure, not shying away from it.
Spanish media called it his “coronation.” Teammate Eric García laughed after the game, and said that the goal was same as he scores in training every day. He also added that ‘you know what’s coming but you still can’t stop it.’
Praise for Lamine Yamal beyond Rashford
Rashford is not alone in singing Yamal’s praises. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick described him as “special” after the Mallorca win:
“He always wants to play well and help the team. Lamine is a special player and everyone can see it. From what I see in training, he is very motivated. In matches, he also fights and defends. I’m very happy for him.”
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has also been effusive, even invoking the divine when speaking of Yamal’s potential:
“Lamine is a footballer who is going to make history. We need to keep him calm and cautious… developing people before footballers.”
Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, the veteran Yamal now plays alongside, has been quick to advise him about life off the pitch. Following controversy surrounding Yamal’s 18th birthday party, Lewandowski urged balance:
“Lamine is so young, he can enjoy the life. He has to enjoy the life because everything, not only in football, but outside of it, is in front of him. Of course, that will be also a tough moment for him, how to handle it, all things around him. For sure, that will be not easy but he has to also enjoy everything. Still in this age, you can, and probably in the future he cannot. You have to just find the balance.”
Heavy lies the crown for Lamine Yamal
The pressure is immense for Lamine Yamal. Taking on Barça’s No. 10 shirt alone invites relentless comparisons to Lionel Messi. Former Real Madrid legend Jorge Valdano acknowledged the difficulty of such parallels, but admitted Yamal makes it hard not to:
“I didn’t like comparing Messi to Maradona, but Messi didn’t make it easy; I don’t like comparing Lamine to Messi but Lamine doesn’t make it easy either.”
Yamal himself, however, seems to embrace the challenge.
What comes next for Lamine Yamal and Barcelona
Barcelona face Levante next, and expectations around Lamine Yamal will only intensify. The teenager has already proven himself on the biggest stages: La Liga, Champions League, and the Euros. Now, with Rashford, Raphinha, and Pedri around him, he looks poised to take his game to even greater heights.
Rashford’s prediction that Yamal will win the Ballon d’Or may come sooner than anyone expects. His numbers, his maturity, and his ability to define games are already those of an elite player. If he continues this trajectory – scoring and creating while carrying Barcelona’s attack – there may be little stopping him from reaching football’s pinnacle.
For now, though, the image of him placing that invisible crown on his head after his Mallorca strike feels prophetic. Heavy is the head that wears the crown – but Yamal not only wears it, he wants it.