“Billion Dollar Baby”: this teenager turns the heads of Europe

That sounds callous and mature for a teenager who just turned 16 in July. Still a child and so far gone that all you can do is watch with your mouth open and applaud in amazement. Yamal made his Barcelona first-team debut in August, aged 15, and is now a regular, national player, national team and league goalscorer, and record breaker.

A strong dribbling left-footer who is also exceptionally good with his right foot, a magician and ball puller, another great talent from the La Masia forge of the Catalans, where later world stars such as Busquets, Fabregas, Iniesta, Messi, Puyol, Xavi and Piqué became formed.

When Yamal is played on the right flank, creates a few physical illusions, then moves inside and shoots the ball with his left into the far top corner of the intersection, as he recently showed at the U17 World Cup against France, he is reminiscent of by Arjen Robben. If he blindly plays impossible passes into the space that suddenly becomes available, then it’s up to Messi. If he is simply in the right place, as with his first league goal in Granada on Sunday, then it is Lewandowski’s turn. But be careful: such comparisons only fuel gigantic expectations.

His career still resembles a fairy tale. He seems carefree, happy and completely relaxed. Wonderful to see him. But since last week something has changed. These are numbers that can weigh tons.

New contract with crazy clause

The Barça bosses – challenged by their own legend, current Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, who had long had their eye on the super talent – extended the contract with Yamal and his new agent Jorge Mendes. The club would have liked to give him a lifelong contract straight away, but you cannot have a contract longer than two years with a sixteen-year-old. To do this, the new contract was spiced up with an incredible clause until 2026: if another club wants to buy him out of the contract, they will have to put up a billion euros on the table.

One billion: you can buy 45,000 mid-range cars, buy two luxury cruise ships or build the Allianz Arena in Munich four times over. Based on the movie ‘Million Dollar Baby’ with Clint Eastwood and Hilary Swank, you could call Yamal ‘Billion Dollar Baby’, even if that doesn’t quite fit the dollars and euros.

Injured and left

The Spanish national team is currently having a fantastic run. With drive, enthusiasm and youthful excellence, she defeated Georgia (7:1) and Cyprus (6:0) in the European Championship qualifiers in September. On Thursday we continue with the home match against Scotland, on Sunday with the match in Norway – without Yamal. The 16-year-old is struggling with muscle problems and has left the national team. A first minor setback for the boy, perhaps also due to the great stress of the past few weeks.

Always younger, always better

You also notice that you are getting older when the football stars you have spent decades with and who were a natural part of everyday life suddenly disappear. Suddenly Messi is in Florida, Neymar is in the desert with Benzema. Modric and Kroos are considering resigning. Ibrahimovic is already sunbathing by the pool, Bale is playing golf, Behrami has disappeared. New chapters need to be written – with new names.

Always younger, always better, barely 20 and already experienced players with enormous potential and golden future prospects: Lamine Yamal (16, Barça), Pedri (20, Barça), Gavi (19, Barça), Ansu Fati (20, Brighton & Hove Albion ), Jude Bellingahm (20, Real), Jamal Musiala (20, Bayern), Rayan Cherki (20, Lyon), Florian Wirtz (20, Leverkusen), Eduardo Camavinga (20, Real). These are just a few names, there are certainly more.

Not everyone gets through it. For some, the pressure of expectations is too great, others are held back by injuries, still others rise and fall low. Anyone who starts that young will experience sporting crises at some point. The question is: how do you deal with it when your self-image is damaged and complainers and critics suddenly appear alongside the pats on the back?

Suspension for disciplinary reasons

Yamal has remained sober until now. The Spanish association also took care of that. When the boy clashed with other players at U17 level in February, he was sidelined for a while for “serious disciplinary reasons” – with the express permission and support of Barcelona, ​​​​his club. Of course, a warning shot at the right time.

The fact that Yamal is even part of the Spanish national team is a stroke of luck for the Iberians. His father is Moroccan, his mother is from Equatorial Guinea. Lamine could also have chosen Morocco. The football country that eliminated Spain in the eighth finals of the World Cup in Qatar in December. He chose Spain, his native country, and has no regrets: “I am very happy that I made that decision. There is a very long road ahead of me with Spain and I hope we will win a lot together.”

Due to his injury, Yamal will now have to wait until November for his next appearance in the national jersey. Then Spain plays in Cyprus and at home against Georgia.