Deco Hails Lamine Yamal as the Next Big Thing at Barcelona
Barcelona sporting director Deco has bigger plans for 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, hailing him as the next big thing at the club. Yamal’s impressive performances, which have seen him score five goals and set up five more in 11 appearances this season, have caught the attention of Deco, who believes the youngster has the potential to become "a reference player" at the club.
Like the club’s all-time greats, Johan Cruyff, Andres Iniesta, and Ronaldinho, Yamal has a special spark that sets him apart. "He has decision-making that is very difficult to see in someone his age," Deco said, praising the teenager’s unique skillset. "Lamine is writing his history at Barca, just like Messi did in his time. He has everything to be a reference player in his club."
Since making his debut at 15, Yamal has shattered records, becoming the youngest scorer in LaLiga history and the youngest player ever to feature at a European Championship. He’s also won the Young Player of the Tournament award at Euro 2024. These achievements have earned him comparisons to Messi, with Deco noting that, while Messi was more explosive in his early days, Yamal is already achieving what he did at the same age.
As Yamal continues to write his own history, Deco emphasized the importance of protecting the youngster from burnout. "It is evident that young players are subject to many matches… too many. We have to take care of Lamine, he is still in the formative process…" Barcelona must balance Yamal’s development with the demands of the game, ensuring he doesn’t suffer the same fate as other talented young players.
In other news, Barcelona president Joan Laporta revealed the club is close to finalizing a massive sponsorship deal with Nike, which would be the best kit agreement in world football history. "We will soon announce the best sponsorship kit agreement in the world of football," Laporta said. "We could have signed it in August but I made a commitment to Barcelona fans that I wanted the best contract on the market. That offer was matched. Now we are finalizing the deal that will sponsor our kit for the next 10 years."
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