Barcelona: “Comparisons are odious,” wrote Cervantes in Don Quijote. Nowhere is that more true than in football – a world fuelled by statistics, noise, and the endless urge to crown the next Lionel Messi. Lamine Yamal has heard it all before. When the question came – again – he didn’t bite. Lamine Yamal turns 18 on Sunday by which time he will have played 106 first-team games – 73 in La Liga, 23 in Europe, six in the Copa del Rey and four others. By the time Messi turned 18, despite having become – at 17 years, three months and 22 days – the youngest player to represent Barcelona in an official competition, he had played nine first-team games for the club. It’s probably safe to assume that as long as he keeps scoring, creating and winning games and titles for both club and country, Lamine Yamal won’t be that bothered what number he is carrying on the back of his shirt.
According to BBC, speculation around Barcelona’s number 10 shirt has followed him for months. Out of respect, he did not entertain conversations about it while Ansu Fati, the previous wearer, was still at the club, but he has since moved to Monaco. Barcelona have not announced anything officially although there has been a dramatic surge in sales of said shirt. Lamine Yamal is wondering what to do. Take the weight of the 10? Or keep 19 one more season – perhaps until he turns 19?
There are a number of errors and misconceptions about the player, not least the fact that despite being discussed and written about endlessly, the majority of the media and fans continue to get his name wrong. His full name is Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana-Nasraoui. Like so many players in La Liga – think Xavi, Pedri, Joselu etc – he identifies on the pitch by his first name which is not just Lamine, nor is it just Yamal, it is Lamine Yamal. He was named after two men, Lamine and Yamal, who helped his parents (Equatorial Guinean Sheila Ebana and Moroccan Mounir Nasraoui) pay rent during a financially difficult period before his birth. By way of thanks, they made good on the promise to name their son in their honour.
Much has been made of the forward’s holidays, his off-pitch life, and the perceived risk of distraction. Apparently he is a teenager that enjoys himself. More worrying is the quiet implications of that accusation. The reality is far less dramatic. He goes out, like most 17-year-olds, especially during holidays. He is very close to his family and enjoys time with friends (he visited Neymar in Brazil). He’s a healthy, responsible teenager. He is teetotal and a practising Muslim who has spoken openly about his observance of Ramadan. And while there aren’t photos of him training during summer mornings, that’s largely because there’s no public access. Behind the scenes, the work is still happening. He enjoys himself, there are fewer rules and obligations than during the season, but he doesn’t switch off. There is balance.
He is currently in China working with Adidas. Yes, that is the kind of work a footballer has to do. The statistics are remarkable, especially when you consider his age. And they keep improving. Since making his debut, he has won two La Liga titles, although he featured just once during Barcelona’s 2022-23 title-winning campaign. Since then, he has missed only four league games across the past two seasons. He has also lifted the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup. On the international stage, he has already won the European Championship with Spain.
He wants everything: to lead, to score, to win. But there’s a calmness to his ambition. He doesn’t just dream of being better, he works at it. Crucially, he knows he’s not there yet. That balance between confidence and humility is what allows him to play with such freedom, as if still in the schoolyard. His mother and grandmother offer a different kind of strength – consistent, loving, and deeply rooted in values. They are the quiet force that underpins everything.
His improvement last season was astonishing. He went from seven goals and nine assists in 23-24 to 18 goals and 25 assists last campaign. It’s easy to understand therefore why the boy from Rocafonda has had his contract recently renewed until 2031 with a reported base wage of 15m euro (£12.9m) per season, rising to 20m euro with performance-related bonuses plus a buyout clause set at a jaw-dropping 1bn euro, a figure clearly put in place to repel potential suitors.
It’s worth remembering that two of Lamine Yamal’s biggest moments in 2025 – against Inter in the semi-finals of the Champions League and the Nations League final against Portugal – both ended in defeat. Those close to him wanted to see his reaction as everything to that point had gone in an upwards trajectory. Barcelona’s dramatic exit was painful for any player, more so for a 17-year-old. But his response was revealing. He was visibly hurt, yes, but once back in the dressing room, his mindset shifted quickly.
His relationship with new Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has been smooth. He may be cheeky, but he’s always respectful. One team-mate simply calls him “a character”. His inner circle occasionally wishes he’d expose himself to the spotlight a little less. Yet almost everyone agrees on one thing: he has the courage and personality to handle it. That, more than the dribbles, more than the comparisons, is what makes Lamine Yamal unique. Not just that he plays like he’s still in the schoolyard, but that even as the world begins to crown him, that’s still where he feels most at home.