He reaches 100 matches, a figure he achieved against Inter at 17, four years before Messi. Óscar López, who coached him in the Juvenil A team, explains his leadership qualities and the keys to his game
He can be Spiderman when gliding down the wing as if climbing a wall without even touching it. He can be Captain America, always making the right decisions for his team. He can be Thor when he needs to find a solution with forcefulness when there is no other choice, as he did against Espanyol to seal the League title or to draw against France in the Eurocup. Two goals with the same stroke and strike. A run inside, parallel to the area, and a shot reminiscent of the best Messi, but not a 17-year-old Messi.
The Argentine made his official debut with the first team at that age, against Espanyol, but his breakthrough came later. He reached 100 matches just before turning 21. Lamine played his first official match with Barcelona at 15, against Betis, and reached the century mark in the first leg against Inter, probably his most complete match as a Barcelona player.
Given Messi's colossal legacy, arguably the best player in history, the comparison is more than just irreverent, it's sacrilegious, but inevitable, as they both come from La Masía upbringing. The academy is the context that allows talent to emerge, and that success cannot be denied to La Masía, but not every academy guarantees the emergence of such talents. As clearly stated by Simone Inzaghi after knocking Barcelona out of the Champions League final: "A player like Lamine Yamal appears once every 50 years."
The comparison regarding their first 100 matches already shows some differential traits. Messi scored almost double the goals (41-22), while Lamine provided more than double the assists (33-15). Both had similar numbers of starts, with one more for the Argentine (76-77). One can be influential on the field without scoring, but true greatness and awards demand it, and Lamine knows that. During the middle of the season, he even outshone the forward, who, in contrast, scored decisive goals. He has scored in three out of the four Clásicos played this season, in all but the Copa final.
Comparisons, always odious, will lead to much debate, but first, one must wonder if Lamine will be able to sustain his peak or if the ball will become his Sisyphean boulder. Football provides examples for everything. If he succeeds, questions will arise about his progression, how and where he can improve. To find answers, there's nothing like approaching those who have worked closely with this new footballing Mozart.
Óscar López was his last coach at Juvenil A, where he rose to the first team after devouring stages. "What you see now, at 17, we already saw at 15 because at that age, he faced 20-year-old players in the Youth League and surpassed them," explains the coach, who is not surprised by displays of leadership like the one shown against Inter. "When I watched the match," he continues, "the way he carried the team on his back reminded me of a match we played against Mallorca. At halftime, we were losing 2-0, and I told the players what needed to change. Without hesitation or a single word, Lamine decided to change everything on his own."
Born in Esplugues de Llobregat but raised in the tough neighborhood of Rocafonda in Mataró, Barcelona made an exception for Lamine, on the advice of Jordi Roura, for him to reside in La Masía, something not common for children living in Barcelona or nearby towns, to avoid risks. López doesn't believe there are any risks today: "He is very mature for his age, knows the value of things, and is clear about what he wants. He is introverted but always makes the right decisions, as he does on the field."
"Of course, he has room for improvement, but what I don't see is that affecting his position. With me, he played as a winger, as he does now, and as an inside midfielder, but it's in the winger position where he is decisive, given his abilities. I don't see him moving to the center, as happened with Messi." The left foot is the dominant one for a player who is practically ambidextrous, playing on the right with his weaker foot, from where every diagonal towards the center, like the one that sealed the League or the goal against Villarreal, showcases superpowers, part Spiderman, part Thor.