Following an outstanding performance last season, Yamal has also started this season very strongly. According to Goal author James Westwood, as long as he is not overwhelmed by the overwhelming media publicity, the sky is his limit.
“Yamal is a unique player,” said Girona coach Michel after the match against Barcelona. “For me, at 17, Yamal is already one of the best players in the world. It’s hard to imagine finding a player like him in La Liga after the ‘post-Messi era’. I really hope Yamal can continue to improve because he can definitely reach Messi’s level.”
In the away game against Girona, Yamal scored twice, helping his team win 4-1. This also meant that in the first three games of the season, Yamal was involved in 7 goals, ranking second in the number of goal involvements in the top five European leagues, only behind Haaland. Moreover, Yamal’s goals last season were only two fewer than Haaland’s. This is truly incredible for a young player who only turned 17 in July this year.
During the European Championship this summer, Yamal also played a crucial role in Spain’s championship victory. Perhaps for many players, not getting enough rest during the off-season and experiencing a tough battle like the European Championship would naturally make them feel tired, but this is not the case for Yamal – after returning to the La Liga, he is still full of fighting spirit.
It is no exaggeration to say that when Messi was Yamal’s age, he did not reach Yamal’s height.
Only time will tell if Michel’s comments are predictive, but Barcelona has once again become the best team in La Liga, and this is undoubtedly due to Yamal’s contributions. Although they stumbled in their first Champions League match, Yamal is still the key motivation for Barcelona fans to look forward to Champions League honors for the first time since Messi’s departure.
De la Fuente Sets the Stage, Yamal Goes All Out This Season
While it is true that Yamal has shown an incredible state in his “breakout year” at Barcelona, honestly, he was still a raw talent last season. This La Masia youth academy graduate did not perform at the top level in every game, consistently contributing in Xavi’s possession-oriented tactical system. However, De la Fuente’s Spanish national team allowed Yamal to unleash his full potential, setting an example for Barcelona’s new coach Frick.
After helping his team defeat Girona, Yamal told the media, “The key is to be direct. When we get the ball, we only think about scoring.” This philosophy has indeed brought rich rewards to Barcelona, as they have scored 17 goals in the first five games of the season, which is the first time since the 2017/18 season.
Girona defeated Barcelona 4-2 last season, but their loss this season was not unjust. Yamal broke the deadlock after half an hour, calmly shooting and scoring. Seven minutes later, Barcelona doubled their lead. These goals may seem simple, but they were mostly due to Yamal’s extremely confident way of completing the final shot.
This season, Yamal has shown delightful skills on the field, fearless ball control ability, and quite good performances in winning back possession in the front field. He has already completed 8 tackles in the front field this season, more than any other player in La Liga.
After the match against Girona, Frick also said, “I am very happy with Yamal’s two goals. He is still very young, but he is really full of confidence. He is really crucial for Barcelona, and not just because of his attacking ability. He also does a great job of pressing. This means a lot to us.”
The Next Messi?
Since his historic debut for Barcelona in April 2023, Yamal has been regarded as the “next Messi”. Former Barcelona winger Cunca was convinced of this viewpoint after seeing Yamal train for the first time.
He said, “We will all be compared to top players. Ultimately, some go further than others. As for Yamal, I’ve talked to Xavi and watched Barcelona’s first-team training. I said, ‘It’s fair to compare Yamal to Messi. He’s a very good player with great potential.’ What he’s doing, what he did at the European Cup. Now he should just enjoy football and keep improving. Most importantly, Barcelona will take good care of him.”
Bojan, Deulofeu, Dos Santos, and Fati were also compared to Messi, but they never truly showed a level comparable to Messi.
However, Yamal is different.
Although everyone knows that there can’t be another Messi, as he has stood at the top of the football pyramid for most of the past 20 years, Yamal has more opportunities than anyone else to be mentioned in the same breath as Messi. Such comparisons may not be entirely accurate, but as Cunca said, they are “fair” at this point.
Follow His Own Path! Yamal Is Yamal
Part of the reason Messi has maintained such a long-lasting lead at the top of the football pyramid is that he is rarely affected by outside pressure. It seems that nothing can intimidate this not-so-tall Argentine. How about Yamal? He’s the same.
When talking about Yamal, Barcelona’s sports director Deco said, “Apart from his technical talent, Yamal is also very strong mentally. That’s what sets him apart from others. He doesn’t put too much pressure on himself in key matches. He will become one of the best players in Barcelona’s history.”
Perhaps Deco’s last sentence is also the greatest praise we can give to Yamal. His performance really easily reminds people of Messi. At least his derby performance makes us think he is qualified to enter Barcelona’s pantheon of greats, like Neymar, Pedro, Henry, Ronaldinho, and others.
All these world-class players have a fascinating personality and their own unique football magic. They also strive to stand out with their unique strengths—something Yamal tries to do every time he takes the field.
In early September, Yamal told reporters, “For me, it’s about making history. Whether I can be compared to Messi is not important. Yes, being compared to the best player in the world means you’re doing well. But it doesn’t bother me. I’ll try to be myself.“
Perfect Mentor Flick
Yamal’s mature comments are indeed refreshing, but this doesn’t mean his path is smoother than other top players of his age. At 17, Yamal is still in the process of maturing, and he must avoid the troubles caused by the “spotlight trap”.
Flick said, “I think Yamal is at a high level, but at his age, there is still room for improvement, and he must continue to improve. I’m glad to see him still training hard. Champion players don’t rest, and I think this is good advice for him. If he wants to become a great champion, he can’t rest too much. He must keep moving forward.”
Although Flick’s tough comments came after Yamal was late for a meeting, as a young star player, Yamal should not feel that his “future superstar” status entitles him to privileges.
According to Marca, Barcelona is very aware of Yamal’s “outstanding” status, and some senior officials are worried that he might be “overwhelmed” by all the outside noise. Flick is the perfect coach to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
This serious German coach once promoted 17-year-old Musiala to Bayern’s first team and knows how to manage young players with a balance of strictness and leniency. Flick will give young players like Yamal opportunities to express themselves, but he also expects a certain level of respect in return.
Yamal really needs a mentor like Flick as he enters the next stage of development. Flick will keep a close eye on Yamal, as only then will Barcelona have a chance to win more based on their incredible start to the season.
“I Want to Become a Legend”
However, Friek certainly cannot avoid the emergence of rumors about Yamal’s transfer. Especially if Yamal continues to perform so outstandingly. Before the start of this season, there were reports that Paris Saint-Germain was willing to sign Yamal for 250 million euros.
Currently, Barcelona is still striving to reduce its financial bills, even after sending off players like Gundogan, Sergio Roberto, Marcos Alonso, and young forward Marc Guiu. Yamal is considered “unsellable,” but Barcelona’s sale of Neymar in 2017 also indicates that if the team’s financial problems persist, rumors about Yamal’s transfer will continue to exist.
Of course, unlike Neymar, Yamal knows exactly what he wants. When informed that his current transfer valuation has reached 120 million euros, he said, “I don’t want to be priced at 120 million euros because I don’t want to leave Barcelona. I want to become a legend here.“
Such remarks are undoubtedly the most delightful sound for Barcelona fans. Yamal is trying to achieve this, and he has indeed broken multiple records for the Blaugrana.
In the turbulent “post-Messi era,” there is finally a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. Yamal is becoming a suitable “successor.” But Joan Laporta and the other members of Barcelona’s board must learn from past mistakes and completely end the off-field chaos that has plagued the team for too long. Otherwise, the uncertainty surrounding their best player will continue to dominate.
What’s Next for Yamal?
Although Barcelona lost to Monaco in the first round of the Champions League, Yamal is still a “game-changer” who has the opportunity to help Barcelona overcome difficulties in the upcoming matches and smoothly advance to the round of 16.
Yamal participated in all 10 of Barcelona’s Champions League matches last season. His performance in the 3-1 victory over Napoli impressed former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves. He said, “He is a super confident young player, and he is really special. How can a 16-year-old have such a level? Normally, a 16-year-old wouldn’t even make the team roster, let alone start. It’s unbelievable that a player worth over 100 million euros like Felix is on the bench for him.”
Just seven months later, Yamal has become the most predictable player in Barcelona’s starting roster, and he himself has become a player worth over 100 million euros. Moreover, Barcelona, solely because of his presence, can rightly be considered a favorite to win La Liga and should be regarded as a genuine Champions League contender.
Yamal is one of those “outstanding talents” that only one or two appear in a generation. He is not the “new Messi,” but he has the ability to carry the hopes of one of the greatest football teams for a long time.