The Wonders of Lamine Yamal: Football Prodigy

Week after week, we are left in awe by Lamine Yamal's football prowess. His performances on pitch are so impressive that it's hard to focus on anything else. Age-related discussions don't do him justice; even if he were a 30-year-old player, his abilities would still leave spectators speechless.

Despite the remarkable display, Yamal's age cannot be completely overlooked. Today, he's 17 years and 114 days old—the same age as Lionel Messi was when he debuted for Barcelona. The young Spaniard has already surpassed his Argentinian idol by 82 games and 2 major trophies (Euro 2024, La Liga 2023/24). Without downplaying Messi's legacy, it's undeniable that Yamal is making a mark at a very young age, with only perhaps Pele to compare.

Displaying the Kopa Trophy to his fans before the derby against Espanyol, Yamal's sight was set on a distant trophy - the Ballon d'Or, held by Aitana Bonmati nearby. The young prodigy believes it's a target he can reach one day, purposefully avoiding touching it as Bonmati exposed, because it's a trophy he wants to claim.

Keeping his current momentum, his superstitions may well be justified. His unforgettable performance in the 12th minute of the game is one example. Espanyol's boss Manolo Gonzalez took precautions—packing Yamal's side of the field at the start of the game, but was left helpless by Yamal's skill.

Tripling the efforts to contain him, Carlos Romero, Jofre Carreras, and Rafel Bauza blocked him from the flanks and the midfield to restrict his moves. Their efforts however bore slight fruit when the prodigy received the ball, accurately passed to him by Hector Fort. The Espanyol players intended to stop Barcelona's counter-attack, but Yamal's sleight of hand left them in the dust.

A slight touch to the ball created enough space for him to manoeuvre. Romero and Carreras backed off too far, failing to understand Yamal's intent. A seemingly impossible pass to Dani Olmo in the box confirmed Yamal's masterclass. Had he taken another touch, Olmo could have strayed offside. But Yamal made sure that wasn't the case. He continues to break grounds in every game, leaving us mesmerised by his skills.