At just 16, Yamal shattered many records and became Barca’s youngest prodigy. He rose through Barca’s ranks so early and showed so much maturity for his age. But what is behind this exponential rise? The mentors, the coaches, and the process; let’s break down Yamal’s journey to success at such a young age.
Is Lamine Yamal the Most Complete Talent Since Leo?
Barca’s La Masia has been an absolute conveyor belt of talents. It breeds talent so much that sometimes, many talents do not even get a chance to feature. However, Yamal’s story is a little bit different. La Masia had never before created a genius who would be such a tactical phenomenon and mature at 16,17.
Yamal’s game reading is precise, and his ability to switch between roles is next-level. He can become a midfielder who creates chances and makes space and also a deadly winger who cuts inside from the right or provides width from the flank. His short yet fantastic story asks us: How has he been able to achieve so much at only 17?
Yamal’s Childhood Position Carved His Fearless Style of Play
Many videos of Yamal started resurfacing on the internet when the youngster started making his mark in professional football. As a kid, Yamal used to outmuscle older kids like a street-smart player. He was six when he joined La Masia in 2014 and was blessed with a brilliant environment to forge his talent.
Yamal was mentored by coaches like Marc Serra, who allowed him to experiment with his fearless football style. Serra leaned on Yamal and trusted him, even if he used to get dispossessed or fail with his dribbles. It was a crucial step for Yamal, as tactical rigidity in childhood would never have let him achieve his fearless style of play, which he displays in the current Barca team.
The Coaches Behind the Curtain: The Email that Saved Barca
Yamal’s story is incomplete without the mention of his elite mentors. The teenager was blessed with the likes of Oscar Hernandez and Marc Serra. These mentors trained Yamal to thrive with fluidity in their tactics and take control of the games. While Serra trained Yamal to embrace risk, Hernandez played a big role in teaching Yamal how to decode defensive traps and swap positions mid-game. Oscar Hernandez, was basically the coach who scouted Yamal in the first place.
In 2015, when Yamal was close on joining Espanyol, Hernandez wrote a famous email that changed everything. In his email, Hernandez reached out to Serra and told him its now or never. He urged him to act quickly or Yamal’s talent would be lost. And that was the email which set up Yamal for trial. The rest is history!