Among the many memorable moments in Barcelona`s thrilling 3-3 draw against Inter in the UEFA Champions League semifinals first leg, Lamine Yamal`s outstanding performance truly stood out. His display made it clear that he is not merely a future prospect but is already showcasing the qualities of a top-tier player.
Yamal was central to Barcelona`s attacking efforts, taking four shots and creating two chances as the team found the net three times against Inter. The 17-year-old had a pivotal individual contribution, scoring in the 24th minute with a moment of brilliance that ignited Barcelona`s comeback from a two-goal deficit. This match was just the latest in a series where Yamal has left many in awe, including football icon Thierry Henry.
“What I witnessed tonight from Lamine Yamal… it`s not normal to be like that at 17,” Henry commented during the UEFA Champions League Today post-match analysis. “I`m not solely focused on his technical skill with the ball; his awareness, composure, understanding of the game, the way he tracks back and presses are all remarkable. It`s truly exceptional. We`ve already mentioned the 100 senior games he has played at this age. It`s frankly absurd. I`m almost questioning what I`m even watching, what I`m experiencing, but he played with incredible intensity, like a seasoned professional. And when I use the term `man,` technically, he hasn`t even reached adulthood yet. It`s genuinely unprecedented.”
Statistics support Henry`s assertion that Yamal is operating at a level far beyond most players his age. In his first 100 senior club appearances, he has contributed to 50 goals (22 goals, 28 assists). This record is close to Lionel Messi`s total of 56 (41 goals, 15 assists) at the same point in his career and considerably ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo`s 27 (13 goals, 14 assists). Both Messi and Ronaldo were notably older than Yamal when they reached the 100-game milestone. For context, Messi had only played seven games for Barcelona by the time he was Yamal`s current age.
His remarkable productivity is complemented by his entertaining style of play, which he embraces as a signature trait.
“I enjoy playing in a way that brings enjoyment to others,” Yamal shared in an interview on the UEFA Champions League Today post-match show.
Yamal has also achieved impressive success at a young age on the trophy front. He played a significant role in Spain`s European Championship win last year and was crucial in Barcelona securing the Copa del Rey on Saturday. If Barcelona manages to clinch the treble – which remains a realistic possibility with their lead in La Liga and continued presence in the Champions League – he would be a highly deserving recipient of these honors. He is quickly establishing himself as one of the game`s top talents, potentially filling the void as legends like Messi and Ronaldo near the end of their careers.
Henry mused, “One thing that consistently fascinates me about football is how you tend to believe that no one will ever be better than players like Messi or Ronaldo. And then Yamal appears. And then there`s another young talent in Argentina, Franco Mastantuono from River Plate, who already scored a winning free kick in the derby against Boca Juniors. That`s the beauty of football. There will likely be another player in the next two or three years that we`ll be talking about who isn`t even known yet. But it`s astonishing to consider a player – he`s just 17 years old. At 17, I think I made my professional debut. What he`s doing is simply unbelievable. It`s truly out of the ordinary, but it`s fantastic to see a new talent arriving, a new player who shows potential to dominate. I sincerely hope that for him. Let`s try not to put undue pressure on him and prematurely declare him the heir to the throne or similar.”
A Jersey Swap Request
Towards the conclusion of the interview segment, Henry mentioned his plans to be in Barcelona for El Clásico in May and expressed his hope of getting Yamal`s jersey for his son. Yamal responded positively, readily agreeing but adding a request for Henry to bring him one of his own shirts in return, stating that either a Barcelona or Arsenal jersey would be perfectly acceptable.
