10 - Lamine Yamal

Horatio

You're welcome
Also important to take his age into account. He is already being viewed as one of the best at 18, while clearly progressing. Therefore, when we compare him to Hazard, Neymar, et cetera, compare him to these players when they were 18 and not in their prime.
tru
 

FC B

Senior Member
What actually matters is what you do after beating the player. That's what makes you world class.

Yeah, that's why I start to like more a more what Lamine is doing after beating his man, his decision making improves quite fast and is still so very young, his ceiling looks so high.
 

FC B

Senior Member
No way dude. Neymar was a demon when it came to dribbling. Certainly flashy, but effective and impossible to predict on the ball.

Imo Lamine is already more direct, more precise and effective in his dribbles and has a lot of room to improve still giving his age and huge talent. Neymar was nowhere near Lamine at 18yrs old.
 

Temptation

Well-known member
Also important to take his age into account. He is already being viewed as one of the best at 18, while clearly progressing. Therefore, when we compare him to Hazard, Neymar, et cetera, compare him to these players when they were 18 and not in their prime.
Yes but dribbling and close control doesn't improve after a certain age.

End product and Football IQ improves.

Young Messi was a better dribbler than old Messi because of his natural acceleration.

Hazard and Neymar were already ELITE dribblers at Lille and Santos.
 

te amo barca

Blaugrana al vent
Yes but dribbling and close control doesn't improve after a certain age.

End product and Football IQ improves.

Young Messi was a better dribbler than old Messi because of his natural acceleration.

Hazard and Neymar were already ELITE dribblers at Lille and Santos.
I'm pretty sure Yamal will beat both Neymar and Hazard by dribbling volume and success rate by his prime. He already bested most of Hazard's career last season with 4.6 dribbles per game in La Liga and 4.3 in CL. Hazard only had 2 seasons where he had more (14/15 and 17/18) with 4.9 and 4.8. Neymar, to be fair, had 4.8 in 20/21, 5.6 in 16/17, 6 in 19/20, and 7.1 in 17/18, but he only played 18-20 league (Ligue 1) games in each of those seasons except the 16/17 Barca one.

Yamal is on 5.3 per game for this season so far.
 

Barcaman

Administrator
Staff member
People imagine players progress as if it's a arithmetical equation. Some players peak very early and even regress.
Hope he does continue to learn and improve, or at least maintain his level but there are no guarantees. Particularly with many of these players African descent, including those representing teams from South America.
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te amo barca

Blaugrana al vent
People imagine players progress as if it's a arithmetical equation. Some players peak very early and even regress.
Hope he does continue to learn and improve, or at least maintain his level but there are no guarantees. Particularly with many of these players African descent, including those representing teams from South America.
.

There is no need to hope, he will absolutely continue improving. If anything, his growth has been exponential so far.
 

JamDav1982

Senior Member
The trope about Brazilian players peaking early is too often trotted out.

Can find examples from near enough every country just Brazil had more of the top top players throughout the years.
 

Barcaman

Administrator
Staff member
There is no need to hope, he will absolutely continue improving. If anything, his growth has been exponential so far.

If he keeps his head down and feet on the ground and doesn't get distracted.
Plenty of Adrianos, Balotellis, Pogbas etc. who haven't.
 

Barcaman

Administrator
Staff member
The trope about Brazilian players peaking early is too often trotted out.

Can find examples from near enough every country just Brazil had more of the top top players throughout the years.

Not at all. You only need to look at Barca. Best talented ones like Romario or Ronaldinho. Giovanni too, that came here as a super signing with Ronaldo.
 

te amo barca

Blaugrana al vent
If he keeps his head down and feet on the ground and doesn't get distracted.
Plenty of Adrianos, Balotellis, Pogbas etc. who haven't.
It's not a serious comparison as none of those were at his level. Adriano is also a bad example because of his depression/personal problems.
 

JamDav1982

Senior Member
Romario played high level to an older age and example of opposite.

Just never stayed anywhere long.

Brazil have a lot of players that played to a good age also and all countries have examples of players that dropped off.
 

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