- Spain boss praised Yamal’s growth and mentality
- De la Fuente believes winger has the potential to be the best in the world
- The 18-year-old is in contention for the Ballon d’Or this year
Speaking on Cadena SER the Spain manager said Yamal has shown qualities well beyond his age after helping the national team to back-to-back wins in World Cup qualifying. The 18-year-old Barcelona star registered three assists across Spain’s first two qualifiers, including two in their 6-0 win over Turkey on Sunday.
Yamal has continued where he left off after a fantastic 2024-25 season in which he played a pivotal role in Barca’s domestic treble success. He has already netted twice in his first three La Liga matches this season. The young Barca wonderkid is also firmly in the Ballon d’Or race, going head-to-head with Paris Saint-Germain‘s Ousmane Dembele after another impressive international window. De la Fuente believes Spain are fortunate not only because of Yamal’s rise but also due to the depth of talent around him.
The Spain boss hailed Yamal’s maturity at such a young age and claimed that the young winger has the ‘potential’ to become best in the world., saying: “He’s shown impressive maturity, and it’s not easy. He’s a kid and he’s learning, but I’m still frightened by the thoughts he has. Lamine’s external image is one thing, and his internality is another.
“Lamine has the potential to be the best in the world, but what about Mikel Merino, Fabián, Pedri…? We’re lucky to have many players who are the best in the world in their positions.”
Yamal is back in Barcelona after the international break after two big wins with Spain. His focus now shifts to La Liga, where he will be back in action against Valencia on September 14, looking to continue with his red-hot start to the season.
