Barcelona gem close behind Real Madrid superstar for touches in opposition box

Nestled within the heart of Catalonia’s vibrant capital lies a hallowed ground of football mastery known as La Masia.

The walls bear witness to the countless success stories—the Xavis, the Iniestas, the Messis—who emerged from here like gems chiseled from rough stone.

With the academy continuing to churn out talent like clockwork, Lamine Yamal has shown the potential to be one of the academy’s latest young superstars.

Already breaking barriers

While the teenager still has an exceptionally long road ahead of him before he can be touted as a success story, Yamal has taken the Spanish football scene by storm.

With the 16-year-old handed his first start against Cadiz, he made an immediate impact and was unlucky to leave with no goals or assists recorded.

Delving deeper into the statistics, Opta have highlighted that Lamine Yamal (14) is second only to Vinicius Jr. (20) for the number of touches he has made in the opposition box in La Liga this term.

Despite only one start in the campaign thus far, falling behind one of Europe’s most threatening forwards in this category exemplifies a talent that belies his years.

This is yet another feather in an impressive cap which has seen Yamal shatter records on and off the pitch.

Furthermore, we previously reported that Yamal is set to be called up by Spain manager Luis de la Fuente for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifiers.

The 16-year-old met with two representatives of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) earlier today, which implies a possible switch to Spain.

The desire from the federation to see Yamal represent the Spanish colors indicates the absurdity of his talent, and how he is establishing himself as a force to reckon with.