There is no doubting Lamine Yamal's ceiling. A 19-year-old who has won the Kopa Trophy for a third year in a row and finished third in the 2026 Ballon d'Or gala, the La Masia star has the highest potential on the planet. On his worst nights, he is still playing at an elite level, as he did against Atletico Madrid on Sunday night, delivering the perfect pass to Fermin Lopez for the 66th minute winner.
But if you're playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world wearing the sacred number 10 jersey of Lionel Messi then you need to step up. Lamine Yamal wants to be the undisputed king of this project and the club have marketed him as such. But if you want to wear the crown then you need to carry the burden. Over the biggest tests of the season so far, against Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, Lamine Yamal has failed to influence the game as a generation-defining talisman should.
Elite fullbacks and growth spurt hinder his 1v1 ability
Over the last months, you could notice that the ease and sharpness at which Lamine would beat his defender has looked much slower.
He was completely useless against Real Madrid in the 2-1 El Clasico defeat on October 26. He didn't register a shot on target in the 90 minutes and finished with a terrible match rating. In the game against Atletico Madrid on Sunday, he should have dominated the game as Raphinha had been double marked. However, he only registered 1 assist and saw 3 of his 4 shots miss the target. He also missed a late square ball from Anthony Gordon which would have sealed the game.
There are two reasons why Lamine Yamal has struggled to dominate in these games:
Growth Spurt: Since Lamine Yamal made his first team debut, he has grown by about 10cm. He has grown from 1.71m to around 1.81m (5'11"). He has also gained muscle mass to weigh 72kg. In sports science, a rapid growth spurt in late adolescence can cause the centre of gravity to shift. This means that the neuromuscular system has to adjust. Unlike Messi, who had a low centre of gravity and never changed throughout his career, Lamine Yamal's long limbs and tall frame have meant that his close control and sharp change of direction ability has been slightly affected.
World class leftbacks have learned not to fall for his feints: The best fullbacks in Europe have stopped falling for his feints. Physical and aggressive fullbacks such as Nuno Mendes and Marc Cucurella have started to pressure Lamine Yamal's left foot early in the game. This has forced Lamine Yamal to play in tight areas and take low percentage shots from outside the box.
Flamboyance: Off the pitch, Lamine Yamal has started to embrace the flashy lifestyle of a global superstar. However, this shouldn't be an issue when destroying Real Madrid or PSG. As we know, Neymar was very flashy during the 2015 treble. But when he is not performing in key games, the distractions begin.
What is more concerning is that he has become untouchable in Hansi Flick's team. Over the last few games, against PSG, Real Madrid, Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid, Lamine Yamal has played the full 90 minutes. In his last 8 appearances for the club, Lamine Yamal has only been subbed twice, both times winning heavily against Real Betis and Deportivo Alaves.
With senior players such as Pedri and Raphinha (captain) happy to rotate and be subbed on the hour mark to keep them fresh, why is a 19-year-old playing the full game? Since Lamine Yamal looked frustrated at being subbed off in the 65th minute of the opening game of the season against Elche, Hansi Flick has been reluctant to sub him off when he is not performing well.
Only way forward is being tough!
Lamine Yamal is still a young player and to say he isn't a special talent is ridiculous. But because he is such a special talent, Barcelona cannot let him off.
Hansi Flick and the sporting staff must be stricter with their gem. If Yamal is wasteful in the final third or looking tired after 65 minutes during big aames then he needs to be subbed. To prevent Lamine Yamal burning out at just 19-years-old and remind him that he is not untouchable will create a monster.
The onus is now on Lamine Yamal. It is easy to demand that he dominates against the bottom half of La Liga. But to drag Barcelona over the line in big games against Real Madrid, PSG and Atletico Madrid is what will separate him from a superstar wing.
Add us as a preferred source on Google