21/07/2026
As soon as Spain won the World Cup, it became obvious that Lamine Yamal is the Ballond'or's favourite.
Then came the panic.
They couldn't stand him winning the Euros, the World Cup and about to win the Ballond'or at just 19 years of age.
Then came the agenda.
They're now saying that he ghosted throughout the World Cup.
Now let's face reality.
In Spain's first match of the World Cup, which was against Cabo Verde, Lamine Yamal didn't start.
In that match, we saw how predictable and rigid his side was, until he was introduced in the 71st minute.
From that moment, Spain gained width and flexibility, right from that point, the quality and the texture of that match changed instantly.
And individually, he created at least, 3 big chances in less than 30 minutes of play. The match unfortunately ended 0-0.
The pressure piled up.
Remember, Spain and Barcelona had initially agreed that the youngster would feature as a substitute in the first 2 group matches, then his performance would determine whether he starts the last group game against Uruguay.
But what De La Fuente and everyone else saw in that match against Cabo Verde, indicated that they might need a Lamine in their next match.
I also pointed out that pressure might make the Spanish coach to call on the star-boy from the start of their next match, which was against Saudi Arabia.
And we saw just that.
The sensational teanager was forced into the starting XI and it took him just 10 minutes to dispatch his Country's first goal of the campaign.
It was entirely a different match when compared to their opener, as they ended it with a 4-goal thriller.
His overall influence was evident from there. His presence alone gave his teammates the freedom they needed.
In every match, he created a lot of chances. He dragged 3-4 players to himself, which gave his mates the platform to excel under calmer circumstances, because he's the pressure, therefore, doesn't feel a bit of it no matter how much it weighs.
Lamine Ya