Barcelona’s emerging talent, Lamine Yamal, is often compared to Lionel Messi, sparking rumors that he may one day clinch the Ballon d’Or award like his idol.
Despite this, Yamal is still refining his skills and has room for growth.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Barcelona academy coach Oscar Lopez highlighted an essential aspect in which Messi excelled, stating that he had a knack for “knowing how to run the team.”
According to Lopez, “One of Messi’s great strengths, one of the many strengths that he had, was that he knew how to make the team play, from a midfield position, or from that position on the right wing, going inside.
He knew when it was necessary for him to lead the team, when to accelerate the play, and when he had to say, ‘Hey, the team is not playing well today, but I am, so I am going to decide this game, I am going to break it open.’”
Lopez remains hopeful that Yamal will develop this ability over time.
