Lamine Yamal has become one of the most important names in world soccer. At 16 years old, he is already a key piece of FC Barcelona and is emerging as one of the great promises of Spanish soccer. His debut with the first team of the blaugrana, almost two years ago, left an indelible mark.
At that time, at just 15 years old, he came on in the 83rd minute in a match against Real Betis. In a matter of seconds, he touched the ball and quickly made it clear that he had something special.
Today, with impressive talent, Yamal has earned a place in the elite of world soccer. However, the speed with which he has reached fame has caused certain concerns.
The Danger of Early Fame
One of the most recent comments about Yamal comes from Thierry Henry, former FC Barcelona player and current commentator on CBS Sports. Henry has been very clear in pointing out the dangers of achieving fame so young. During the analysis of Yamal against Benfica, the former footballer compared his situation to that of Bojan Krkic.
Bojan burst onto the world soccer scene when he was just a teenager. At the time, he was considered one of the great promises of FC Barcelona and Spanish soccer.
However, the high expectations and media pressure affected his emotional and psychological development. Thierry Henry did not hesitate to warn about the risks faced by any young person who, like Yamal, is surrounded by the spotlight of fame.
The Case of Bojan Krkic
Henry, who lived closely the experience of Bojan, recalled how anxiety and pressure could have affected his career. The former player highlighted that the speed with which young footballers achieve fame can be a challenging issue to handle. "I've already lived this situation before, not me, but I've seen someone come onto the scene like this: Bojan Krkic," said Henry.
He advised fans and the media to reflect on these types of situations. In this regard, he recommended watching the documentary titled "Bojan, Beyond the Smile," where the former Spanish forward recounts the difficulties he faced due to media pressure and anxiety. Henry expressed that this documentary can serve as a lesson to understand the emotional risks of being an early star in sports.
Bojan's case is not isolated. Today, Lamine Yamal faces a similar challenge. At 16 years old, he has already achieved impressive visibility, and with it comes enormous pressure.
Henry, who knows what it means to be in the eye of the storm, emphasized the importance of taking care of the emotional well-being of young footballers. "I'm just saying that I've lived that before," he commented, referring to his experience with Bojan and other young people who didn't know how to handle the pressure.