Lamine Yamal’s breakthrough on the global stage at such a young age has sparked comparisons with some of soccer’s all-time greats. But at only 18 years old, the forward still has a long road ahead. Now, his former coach at FC Barcelona and legend Xavi Hernandez has revealed what Yamal needs to do to “become one of football’s great geniuses.”
Already a standout in Barca’s youth ranks, Xavi Hernández gave the youngster his first-team debut. When Yamal came on in the April 2023 La Liga game against Real Betis, he became the youngest player ever to debut for Barcelona at just 15 years and 290 days old.
In an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio, Xavi shared his expectations for Barcelona’s rising star. “He’s a ‘chosen one.’ He could become one of the geniuses in football history, and it depends on him — on his ambition and his passion,” the Spanish legend said.
The former Barcelona manager also recalled how exceptional Yamal was even as a teenager: “At 15 or 16 years old, was dribbling past professionals, and even during training sessions, the coaching staff would often ask ourselves who the best player was — and practically every day, or almost every day, it was him.”
FC Barcelona Head Coach Xavi Hernandez interacts with Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona.
He then drew bold comparisons between Yamal and some of Barcelona’s most iconic players. “He did special things — things you’d only see from Neymar or Messi, players of that caliber. I saw that he was ready, and I wasn’t afraid. He wasn’t afraid either; he had no fear, no complexes. He can make the difference. What he’s doing at his age is incredible,” Xavi emphasized.
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Xavi’s high expectations for Yamal and Barça’s new generation
During his time as Barcelona coach between 2021 and 2024, Xavi Hernández managed several established stars. But due to the club’s financial struggles, he also turned to its youth academy — giving opportunities to a new wave of talent. Beyond Yamal, Xavi also handed first-team debuts to players like Pau Cubarsí, who are now key parts of the squad.
Speaking about both young stars, Xavi highlighted their potential and mindset in a press conference in May 2024: “Lamine and Pau must take on the challenge of staying at the elite level for many years — they have all the tools to do it. Many of us have made it there, but the hard part is staying. They have everything for it: the mentality, the ability, and the footballing qualities. We’re looking at two players who can define an era for the club and for world football.”
