Yamal’s skillset is complete and near-perfect. However, the brightest and most attractive weapon of the 17-year-old’s arsenal is his jaw-dropping dribbling skills. The La Masia star terrorizes defenders with his wriggling legs and has been an absolute magnet to defenders on Barca’s right. Let’s dig into the details of Yamal’s amazing dribbling skills.
Lamine Yamal is Barca’s Most Fearless Dribbler After Leo Messi
Lamine Yamal has filled Leo Messi’s spot on Barca’s right since 2023 and lots of comparison has already been made between the two left footed ballers. While Yamal might never achieve Messi’s level of dribbling, he definitely can be compared. According to statsmuse, Yamal has the second most successful dribbles per 90 this season (4.33), trailing behind City’s Jeremy Doku who has had very few game time.
Only last month, WhoScored reported the Yamal has become the first player in Europe to complete 100 dribbles in Europe’s top five league. See a trend? The kid is fearless. He is ready to take on players and glide past them with ease. It brings nostalgia to culers as Messi also used to humiliate defenders like this. The comparison to Messi is surely premature, but only this little kid can fill Leo’s shoes, even if a little.
Xavi Deserves Credit: Yamal has Given Life to Barca Attack
Let’s not forget Xavi Hernandez because he was the one who brought Lamine to the spotlight. The Barcelona attack was dead after Leo’s departure. Even though many talented players played for Barca, no one was fearless and confident with their dribbling skills and take-ons. The teen’s debut came at only 15; even at that age, he was full of flair and product.
Some critics questioned whether he was ready or was too young, but Yamal silenced everyone. The dead Barcelona attack started to blossom as Lamine became a starter. When the 17-year-old returned from Euros, he was already an established dribbling superstar. And now, he is Barca’s most potent dribbling weapon.
Yamal Has Already Embarrassed Big Names
Yamal’s dribbling is age-defying, and the Euros were a concrete proof of this. The La Masia star played against some top notch left back’s like Luke Shaw, Theo Hernandez, Raum and Gvardiol in the Euros and embarrassed them many times.
The youngster continued the trend in club football and this season has been a nightmare for Real Madrid’s Rudiger and Miltiao. In both clasicos this season, Yamal terrorized Mendy and Vinicius on the right, and proved to be too hot to handle. It’s massive, considering the youngster’s skillset is far beyond his age.
Can Yamal Avoid the ‘Overhyped’ Allegation and Define Barca’s Future?
Rival fans, especially Madridistas, love to label Yamal overhyped. This is an unfortunate aspect of this rivalry because talent, wherever it is, must be appreciated. But rival fans have consistently alluded to Yamal as being overhyped and compared to Ansu Fati, who also flopped before full blossom. Can Yamal prove these critics wrong?
Well, I think Yamal totally differs from the other La Masia stars, who fizzled out before full bloom. At such a young age, he is the rock of confidence. He is so composed under pressure and suggests maturity beyond his years. He pulls out magic from his feet whenever needed but also knows when to stop and slow down the play. The IQ of this young kid is at the next level. However, the risk of burnout is always looming, as Yamal has played a lot this season. The gem must be protected at all costs.