Florent Torchut
Barcelona
Published on June 24, 2024 at 10:46. / Modified on June 24, 2024 at 12:21.
“How old are you?” – “Sixteen years.” – “Sixteen!” Even King Felipe of Spain, who went down to congratulate the La Roja players in the locker room after their victory over Italy (1-0) on Thursday in Gelsenkirchen, couldn’t believe it. At 16, the future Felipe VI learned the trade in the official stands alongside François Mitterrand during the Euro 1984 final, lost by Spain in Paris 2-0 against France. At 16 years and 11 months, Lamine Yamal is already on the field. His case even embarrasses the authorities because German law stipulates that minors are not allowed to work after 8 p.m., which theoretically exposes the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to a fine.
But Lamine Yamal doesn’t work, he plays. Sticking to the white line, well stretched on the right flank as we taught him at FC Barcelona where he exploded this season, he waits patiently to receive the ball. When it reaches him, it is the beginning of the ordeal for his direct opponent, often with the same refrain: false leads, short accelerations, a handful of hooks, an overflow or an incursion in the axis, and at the same time resulting from this marvelous ballet, a strike, a cross or sometimes a penalty whistled in his favor.
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