Fernando Polo, a correspondent for Mundo Deportivo, highlighted in today’s edition that Barcelona leader Lamine Yamal has inadvertently trapped himself with his own expectations regarding the Ballon d’Or.
The 19-year-old prodigy recently made a candid statement: “I am pleased by the thought that in four years I will be playing at a much higher level. I believe it will be difficult to find anyone at my level then.”
According to Fernando Polo, this admission conceals an obvious pitfall.
“If you are that talented yet admit you could have contributed significantly more at the World Cup, you are essentially acknowledging that you did not perform at your peak during the tournament.
On the other hand, such voluntary pressure demands that you deliver your absolute best in every single match. This is a double-edged sword: if on any given day your game doesn’t click from the start, psychological frustration sets in immediately. Rafinha already had to reprimand him during the match against Feyenoord, noticing how the young forward prematurely gave up. Towards the end of the first half against Racing, he also displayed clear signs of irritation—most notably when Lamine ripped off the wristband securing his hand and threw it onto the pitch. Missing a penalty in that game did little to lift his spirits,” the Barcelona-based journalist believes.
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