At just 17 years old, winger Lamine Yamal has become a valuable player for FC Barcelona. 

Yamal made his debut in 2023 at age 15 in a game against Real Betis. He became the youngest player in Barcelona history and has become well known as a prodigy.

The teenager has already become a very decorated player, winning the Kopa Trophy and the Golden Boy – awards given to players under 21 – and the Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year. Some believe he is deserving of a Ballon d’Or, which is awarded to the player of the year.

Yamal is a very technical player, and other teams have a hard time defending against him. His speed and quickness contribute to his success playing as a winger. He has good spatial awareness, which always makes him an option for his teammates to pass to.

Despite being left footed, he is positioned as a right wing. He uses the outside of his left foot to cross the ball in, which creates many offensive opportunities. These crosses tend to go to his teammate Raphinia, who has had much success in finding the net. 

Yamal, meanwhile, has eight goals and 13 assists so far in the current La Liga season, scoring in both of the most recent games against Real Madrid and Espanyol. 

His shooting ability is one of his most impressive talents: He can hit the ball from outside the 18 with more power than most. If those shots are on frame, they are very hard for a goalie to stop.

One of the most recent games against Real Madrid he showed off this skill with an equalizing shot from the far right corner. 

Yamal’s success at a young age is impressive, especially at such a high level of competition. He has potential to be known as one of the greats.

Barcelona’s next match is on Sunday against Villarreal.