According to Jordi Cruyff, there was a significant “risk” that a domestic rival might steal teenage wonderkid Lamine Yamal before he made his senior breakthrough, but Barcelona managed to avoid losing him. After turning 18 in the summer of 2025, Lamine Yamal signed a lucrative contract after making his Blaugrana bow at the age of 15.
Yamal contract: The teenager has pledged to stay with Barcelona
A large portion of Barcelona’s early efforts with Lamine Yamal depended on trust, as the Liga powerhouses had to persuade the gifted young player that he was in the ideal environment for his continued growth. The La Masia academy system is renowned for turning out players who go on to become international celebrities.
Since his obvious potential was first recognized, Yamal has been compared to Lionel Messi, and he is clearly following that path. The Spain international has shattered records, and there may be more to come. Barcelona has taken steps to guarantee that they will profit from present capabilities and future expansion.
Why Barcelona had to delay Yamal’s senior debut
Cruyff, the son of legendary Barca player Johan, collaborated with Yamal and his family while serving as Camp Nou’s sporting director. He was aware that the Catalan giants were dealing with the most promising prospects.
Jordi told SPORT that it was difficult to fend off rival interest: “There was a risk that Lamine would leave Barca.” His debut was delayed until we felt secure. He is outstanding. The club is already there to look after him. I’m no longer inside.”
Cruyff has previously told Movistar Plus that Yamal’s senior debut was delayed, which could have happened even sooner if those monitoring his progress in training had their way: “The first time he went to train [with the first team], after five minutes, the coach, Xavi, looked at us and said ‘this is special’. I wanted to give him his debut sooner, but we didn’t have a contract with him, so we needed to ensure that he would be ours for many years. Even the veterans recognized that he was unique and difficult to find.
Yamal wants to create his own legacy and draws comparisons to Messi.
Yamal has been unstoppable since he first appeared on the scene, and he has already established himself among the world’s elite. He is aware that Messi comparisons will continue to follow him, but his goal is to establish his own legacy with club and country.
Yamal stated, “I’ve always tried to forge my own path. Unquestionably, Messi is the greatest player in history. He’s left-footed, as am I. He played for Barcelona, and I also play for Barcelona. He played as a right winger, as did I. We definitely have a lot in common, and that’s fine. I just want to carve my own path.
He added about constantly being compared to Argentina’s GOAT Messi: “He wrote his legendary story, and I aspire to have a successful career like his. More importantly, I want to play football my way, write my own story, and leave a lasting impression on people with the name Lamine Yamal.
Yamal is expected to win the Ballon d’Or more than once.
He has done an excellent job of making millions of people around the world aware of who he is and what he is capable of producing. Yamal has previously won the prestigious Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy awards, as well as the La Liga and European Championship titles. He finished second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting, trailing eventual winner Ousmane Dembele of Paris Saint-Germain.
Yamal is expected to land a Golden Ball at some point, and many believe he will outperform Messi by winning multiple awards. His achievements this season will go a long way towards making that recognition possible in 2026, with domestic and continental campaigns at Barcelona set to be followed by a World Cup final appearance with Spain.
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