Lamine Yamal
February 7, 2024
Who is Lamine Yamal?
The emergence of Lamine Yamal could not have been timed better for FC Barcelona. Financial difficulties and a slew of injuries in 2023/24 have meant that they should’ve been a little light in attack this season.
They should’ve been. Instead, a 16-year-old out of their famous academy has come through to save the day, fitting in as a regular starter and providing major impact in almost every game he plays.
- Date of birth: 09/02/2007
- Country: Spain
- Position: Right-wing
- Height: 1.78 metres
- Preferred foot: Left
Yamal’s rise has been so meteoric that he even received his first senior call-up for Spain, becoming the nation’s youngest ever senior goal-scorer in the process.
Barcelona know they have a generational star on their hands. Just as one left in 2021, in 2023 a new one arrived.
OUR LATEST PLAYER PROFILES
Lamine Yamal's style of play
Yamal’s skillset is already so multi-faceted for a young player, but the most central quality he brings to the table is ball-striking.
This manifests itself in both shooting and crossing; some of the best technique you will see. His crossing technique is just beautiful; perfect weight, perfect curve to lead the attacker towards goal, perfect speed, perfect trajectory. It’s so, so good. Yamal doesn’t need many touches – if he can get an ounce of space to whip something into the box or shoot on his left foot, he can do maximum damage.
His shooting technique is more varied. He’s got all the finishes. Near-post drives, far-post curlers, volleys, whatever it is, Yamal whacks it… HARD. And he loves the ‘Robben Zone’.
He already has five seniors goals for Barcelona in around 1,700 minutes of football — a good return considering his role — with a couple of outrageous drives against Athletic Club and Granada being the pick of the bunch.
As a ball carrier, even without the explosive athleticism that will come as he develops physically, he has an incredible ability to find solutions under pressure and create amazing plays out of difficult scenarios.
But when the physical differential is less steep, he is exceptionally good at weaselling out of the craziest scenarios in possession, and as he matures he will be able to ride these sorts of challenges out against larger bodies.
When that physical development comes… then we are looking at a generational star that should be capable of beating players with both technical skill, and raw speed and power that will able him to run harder and for longer… plus he’s already pretty tall. It’s a wonderful all-round package for Barcelona to nurture.
For a more detailed breakdown on Lamine Yamal, featuring exclusive data from our partners at SkillCorner, go read our SCOUTED50 profile on the Barcelona winger by clicking the button below.
Want to learn more about the best emerging talents in the world?
Come join our community of over 9,000 subscribers on Substack.
We post multiple times a week over there, and deliver extensive SCOUTED50 player profiles, youth tournament round-ups, transfers podcasts, and much, much more, straight to your e-mail inbox. It’s the best youth football journalism anywhere on the internet.
What are Lamine Yamal's strengths?
Lamine Yamal is an outrageous ball striker, crosser and all-round technician. He is going to be a star for Barcelona for a long time.
What are Lamine Yamal's weaknesses?
Lamine Yamal was born in 2007. Naturally, he still has some ways to go in his technical development to match it with senior bodies… but it’s coming.
THE BEST YOUNG TALENTS IN FOOTBALL
