What sound did you make when you saw it? There are a privileged few footballers capable of extracting involuntary noises from people around the world with a simple flick of their foot, and Lamine Yamal’s pass on Sunday night against Villarreal was enough to melt any football fan
Picking up the ball on the right side of the pitch with seven minutes left against Villarreal, Lamine Yamal was only just crossing the halfway line, going at half-pace, as a thunder and lightning game slowed to a conclusion. There were four Villarreal players between him and the goal, and when he made the decision to make the pass, one Barcelona player ahead of him.
There was no danger, nor hint of a chance, and the parabolic arc he directed into Raphinha’s path was the only way he could possibly have gotten the ball to the Brazilian’s stronger left foot for a one-touch finish. The defender gives the 17-year-old space because there is no defending to be done: the technique used by the Barcelona forward was inconceivable.
A skill trademarked by Luka Modric in recent years, almost deliberately since Rafael Benitez told him not to, the outside of the foot technique has been around for years, and over the last 12 months, Vinicius Junior has penned several odes to its elegance too. Using it generally is a trade-off though, less pace and power for more curl, greater finesse. A shot from the edge of the box, perhaps a pass over a defender, or a cross from close range. The accuracy on Sunday leaves you in disbelief, the pace and power to find a teammate 40-50 yards in the distance is near enough unseen.
What Barcelona may enjoy most is the talent, but what might please the Blaugrana more happened 15 minutes before. Raphinha could have had a second hat-trick of his career had he finished the Lamine Yamal touch into his path before his first. It all stemmed from Dani Parejo, who generally operates with a 360-degree Go-Pro, and was found lacking in wits by the man-boy less than half his age, when he dropped a pass he’s played a thousand times straight to a waiting Lamine Yamal, now through on the final defender.
Perusing this season’s short but sweet archive, Barcelona went to Girona in a tricky away trip, and while they were playing well, they were in a game after half an hour. By the time the 40th-minute came round, Lamine Yamal had resolved the game with a brace. The first down to the solid press applied by the whole team, but it was the teenager who looked beaten, and fought to leave another veteran, this time David Lopez, looking sheepish. Using strength to ride the shoulder-barge from Lopez, then executing a clean tackle from between his feet, Lamine Yamal turned on goal and whipping the ball into the roof of the net. Casual like a tiger: the stealth to keep your guard down, by the time you realise you’re in trouble, it’s too late.
Lamine Yamal has all the talent to allow him to cruise through games, but whether by Hansi Flick or design, he is showing a voracious hunger to grow, learn and challenge himself. Willing to press, he does so with timing and intelligence. Knocking off achievements video-game style, each week brings invention, more deft touches, and above all, an air of artistry from someone so entirely comfortable with their craft, they can afford to play around with it.
