BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 11: Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona celebrates their team's third goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol de Barcelona at Spotify Camp Nou on April 11, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) | Getty Images Goal number one for Lamine Yamal this season was to quieten the critics, and prove that he is the best player in the world.Mission accomplished, and it doesn’t matter what the Ballon d’Or has to say about it. I can raise my hand and say I was one of those people who was concerned by birthday gate, and the other tabloid headlines he was making last summer.There wasn’t a debate about his superstar level of talent.

The question was whether he could avoid off the field distractions, and at the young and tender age of eighteen, continue to mature as a professional to ensure a long and successful career in Barcelona. Neymar and Ronaldinho will always be cautionary tales in the minds of Barca fans.On the field, he has been sublime. Across La Liga and the Champions League, he has recorded, so far, 21 goals and 15 assists.

Still, you get the feeling that Lamine isn’t even close to his ceiling.Off the field, he has been nothing short of a total professional. This coming summer, fortunately, it will be all business as he travels to North America with the intention of adding a World Cup trophy to his name. Expectations are high in Spain.As I have watched Barca over the past several months, in spite of the continuous challenges thrown their way, Lamine has been the one constant.

Literally no days off. He just keeps showing up, works his butt off, and has taken on the burden of leading the biggest football club in the world, and all the pressure that comes with it.In the second leg of the Champions League against Atletico Madrid, Lamine showed up as a man possessed. He almost single-handedly mounted a three-goal comeback in the first 30 minutes of the game.

If only the Fermín López diving header had gone in off of the world class cross that only Lamine can deliver.Now the ball is in the court of Joan Laporta.He has one of the best managers in the world in Hansi Flick, who has proven his ability to make his team much more than the sum of their parts. He also has Lamine Yamal, perhaps the greatest footballing part in the world.Laporta’s job isn’t easy because of the financial situation, but it is essential he does everything in his power to support Flick and Lamal. La Masia is incredible, and truly a lifeline, but it’s not the thing that’s going to get Barcelona closer to winning the Champions League.From a tactical point of view, I will be interested to see if Flick changes Lamine Yamal’s position next season so that he plays through the middle.He can work magic on the wing, but you have to wonder if he could make an even bigger impact on games in the center of the pitch where he would get more touches, and an ability to combine with more team-mates, which in turn would make them better too.The foundation is there for Barcelona to be great for a decades to come, but how far they go, and how many titles they win, will depend on the club’s ability to foster the growth of their once in a generation talent.What we are seeing now from Lamine Yamal is just the beginning.Let’s not let his magic go to waste.

The world wants to see him, needs to see him, at the peak of his powers. A Champions League title is possible for Barcelona. Many La Liga titles should be expected too.Lamine can’t do it alone though.

Barcelona must figure out how to build a team around him.Messi was surrounded by countless Barca legends. Lamine deserves the same.