Lamine Yamal is enjoying one of the best periods of his young and trophy-filled career, but the Barcelona star does not want to leave anything to chance as he approaches the biggest prize of all.
اضافة اعلان
With voting for the Ballon d’Or now closed ahead of the ceremony in London on Oct. 26, the Barcelona winger insists that what sets him apart from all his rivals is his Spain shirt.
During the current international break, Yamal has been Spain’s most prominent player — and the only one to start all three matches against England, Croatia and the Czech Republic. He has scored four goals and played the most minutes, with 203, ahead of Rodri, who has played 185.
Yamal’s insistence on playing every minute stems from the lessons of last season, when he missed a significant number of qualifying matches due to injury and fatigue, preventing him from maintaining a consistent presence with the national team during a crucial period.
Should he rest against Croatia?
The question now dominating Spanish football is whether coach Luis de la Fuente should start Yamal in Tuesday’s match against Croatia or give him some rest, considering he is the only player to have featured in every game.
Speaking on El Bar on Cadena SER, hosted by Sique Rodríguez and Luis Flaquer, former Barcelona defender Jérémy Mathieu said: “At this level, it is time to start managing things because the four matches with the national team will be extremely demanding.”
“There is a series of important matches coming up, so I understand that they will take everything into consideration and speak with Barcelona,” he added.
However, from the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas, where Antón Meana followed the team’s final training session before traveling to Split, the picture appears different.
Meana explained that Yamal is on the pitch because he wants to play. He is confident in himself and wants football fans to see what he is capable of amid the race for the Ballon d’Or.
What sets Yamal apart from Mbappé and Kane
Meana believes De la Fuente should start Yamal against Croatia to secure qualification for the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals and then replace him if the match goes according to plan.
“As the best player in the world, what sets Lamine apart is his connection with the Spanish national team. Winning the European Championship and the World Cup puts him at the top. What sets him apart from Mbappé, Kane and others is that he plays for a team that has won both of those titles,” Meana said.
He concluded his radio analysis with a summary of the player’s mindset: “He fully understands what the national team gives him. Playing for Spain strengthens his international standing, and he cannot repeat what happened last year, when he missed many qualifying matches.”
The message is clear from a star who is not yet 18: the Ballon d’Or could be decided in Spain’s colors, and he has no intention of being absent again.
Resource: Al-Ghad.
