Born for Greatness: How Lamine Yamal is Rewriting Records at 17

Photo Credit: AP News/Matthias Schrader

Over the past two years, 17-year-old Lamine Yamal has taken the sports world by storm with no signs of slowing down. I believe that Yamal has proven to be the best young player of this generation and arguably one of the best soccer players in the world at this time. This season alone, Yamal has scored six goals with 12 assists in La Liga play, scored four goals with three assists in UEFA Champions League play, and has continued to win honors as the year continues.

Since debuting for his national team, Yamal has served as one of Spain's most deadly attackers with his left foot, elite close control, dribbling, and vision. Compared to Lionel Messi for his unique playmaking and mature decision-making while with the ball, Yamal has only exceeded expectations.

Despite only being 17 years of age, Yamal has broken so many national team records, including becoming the youngest player to debut for Spain while he was 16 years old and 338 days old. 

Yamal also holds the records of becoming the youngest player to score for Spain, the youngest player to win the European Championship, the youngest player to play in a Euros final, and the youngest player to assist in a Euros final. Yamal played a crucial role in the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament, leading Spain alongside his teammate Nico Williams. Spain would go on to win the tournament after a 2-1 win over England. In the tournament, Yamal finished with one goal and four assists in only seven games, playing 507 minutes at such a young age.

In club play, Yamal has lived up to the hype and expectation that Barcelona players must maintain by scoring and going head-to-head against top-tier competition. Yamal has broken records as a youngster on a club level as well by becoming the youngest player to score against Real Madrid at 17 years old and 105 days.

He is also now the youngest player to make a Champions League debut: He debuted in the Champions League at 16 years and 183 days, and is the youngest player to score and assist in a Champions League game. As of today, Yamal has been on a crazy 12-month run by winning the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year award, with the possibility of winning the La Liga title race, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League title.

Since scoring his first La Liga goal in September 2023, Yamal has continued to demonstrate his generational talent, bringing chaos to defenders and causing clubs to rewrite their defensive gameplay around him. As a fast, tricky, and mature player, Yamal has shown early signs of having a play style similar to prime Neymar and the early years of Lionel Messi. As far as impact goes, Yamal has a long way to go, but he still has the ability to get defenders to bite and manipulate them with his agility and speed. Considering his early age, Yamal makes runs that a 17-year-old does not even start to see at any level of soccer, especially at a professional level. His off-the-ball intelligence, along with creative playmaking skills, has allowed him to perform at such a high level, utilizing his elite vision to serve high-level passes through tight areas in ways his teammates do not even expect at times.

As a dribbler, Yamal is very dangerous as he has given defenders of all ages nightmares in having to defend him through a match. With his Neymar-like ability to isolate defenders and force them into a one-on-one scenario, Yamal tends to attack through the right side and cut into his left foot, leading him to create space with his feints, stepovers, and body swerves like a magician. His attacking maturity has been on full display at the highest level after scoring non-penalty and non-tap-in goals, but instead of scoring outside of the box bangers and displaying his left-foot flair goal scoring talent. One of Yamal's most underrated skills is his ability to drop back as a defender and hold his position well, which serves as another sign of maturity as a player. He has consistently displayed his ability to play the right winger position completely by understanding when to press and when to cut passing lanes or drop back to defend. Yamal's touches and passes per game at a young level already suggest trust from teammates, especially in high-stakes matches against top-tier competitors. At his age, he does well in slowing the game down and forces other teams to adjust their game plan and play HIS game.

If he remains healthy and focused, Yamal could easily become Barcelona's next global icon. While currently sitting at first place in La Liga, a semi-finalist in the UEFA Champions League, and set to go against Real Madrid in a Copa del Rey final, Yamal and his Barcelona teammates have a rare opportunity to earn a historic treble and put Barcelona back at the top, which they have not been at since the departure of the great trio in Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez (MSN).

It is safe to say that Yamal isn't just the future for Barcelona, he is also the present, already serving as one of the most crucial players on their roster. If he maintains his growth as a player and individual, all soccer fans will not be talking about his potential for much longer, but instead will discuss where he ranks as far as being the best footballer in the world. It is wild to think of Yamal's play and creativity on the ball, considering his young age. For many young fans, they start to reflect on what went wrong and how they aren't in his place. As a solidified player in the soccer world and already showing signs of greatness, considering he hasn't hit his prime yet, Yamal will be a player to watch for years to come and could be becoming the best soccer player ever right before our eyes right now.