At the age of 36, with his ten German championship titles, his Champions League (2020) and his two player of the year titles awarded by Fifa (2020, 2021), Robert Lewandowski has had time to explore European football. However, upon his arrival at FC Barcelona in the summer of 2022, the Pole admitted in the Rio Ferdinand podcast to having been shocked by the training debut of a very young 15-year-old player. None other than Lamine Yamal.
“The first time I saw him in training, he was 15 years oldremembers the number 9 of FC Barcelona. I've seen promising young players come and go, but this is the first time in my life where I said to myself: who is he? » Quickly, Xavi, coach at the time, launched the young Spanish crack into the deep end, giving him his first minutes on April 29, 2023, when he was only 15 years and 290 days old. All in all, logical for Robert Lewandowski, who is not at his first nugget. « (Jamal) Musiala also has that something extra, but Lamine (Yamal)it was the first one that made me say: how is it possible, at this age, to already have this level? It's impossible to be that good and smart. »
Winner and best young player of Euro 2024 with Spain, Lamine Yamal, winner of the 2024 Kopa Trophy, is only at the start of his career, and the hardest part is coming for the crack player. “What he is doing is incredible, but he must also think that later there will be an even more complicated challenge, which is to stay at this level or even look higher. And here, we are not talking about three or four years, but a decade. Staying this good at 28, 29 years old is the biggest challenge of your career”believes the Pole.
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A real challenge for the 17-year-old, who suffered his first injury before the international break. A blow to the ankle which deprived him of matches with Spain, which will cause him to miss the match against Celta Vigo (Saturday November 23, 9 p.m.) and which could force him to forfeit the stadium reception Brestois in the Champions League (Tuesday November 26, 9 p.m.).
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