Lamine Yamal (foto: Getty Images)
Jordi Cruyff reveals how Barcelona prevented teenage sensation Lamine Yamal from leaving the club before his debut, securing his future with careful planning and a long-term contract.
Barcelona came close to losing Lamine Yamal before the teenage phenomenon made his senior debut, with Jordi Cruyff admitting there was a real “risk” of the youngster leaving La Masia for a domestic rival.
Yamal made his first-team bow at just 15, and after turning 18 last summer, he is now tied to a long-term, high-value contract. But according to Cruyff, things could have unfolded very differently.
The former sporting director explained that Barca had to build trust with the youngster and his family during a crucial stage of his development. The club postponed Yamal’s debut until they were confident his contract situation was secured.
Cruyff told SPORT: “There was a risk that Lamine would leave Barca. We postponed his debut until we knew we were covered. He is exceptional.”
He previously described Yamal’s first training session with the senior squad: “After five minutes Xavi looked at us and said: ‘This is special.’ I wanted him to debut sooner, but we didn’t have a contract with the boy. We had to make sure he stayed for many years.”
The decision proved vital. Yamal’s rise has been explosive, with the winger breaking records across Spain and Europe. He has already won the Kopa Trophy, Golden Boy, La Liga and Euro 2024, and finished second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or behind Ousmane Dembele.
Comparisons with Lionel Messi have followed him since childhood. Yamal embraces the admiration but insists on carving his own identity. He said: “Messi is the greatest ever for me, but I want to make people remember the name Lamine Yamal.”
Now a key figure for both Barcelona and Spain, Yamal heads into 2026 as one of world football’s biggest attractions — with a World Cup appearance on the horizon and growing belief that he is destined to win future Ballon d’Or titles.