Di World Cup don dey tough for Barcelona young star Lamine Yamal. E no be say e no get talent or desire, but di race against time to recover from serious hamstring injury wey e suffer while converting penalty for Barcelona against Celta Vigo for April don affect am.
There be tension between Luis de la Fuente and Barcelona. Di Spanish manager rely on Blaugrana to provide players wey make backbone of im team. Problem be say, by dey so dependent on dem over di years, dem no dey get rest, and perhaps now as result, we no dey see di best version of dem.
E no be only Lamine Yamal, you fit put Pedri for di same category. Lamine be di best player for Euro 2024 when Spain win di trophy. Since den, e don win two La Liga titles with Barcelona. Dis World Cup na opportunity to announce imself as heir apparent to Messi as di GOAT in waiting.
Instead, di headlines don be stolen by Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and none other dan di 39-year-old Messi imself. Mbappe get eight goals and three assists. Messi get eight goals and two assists. Haaland get seven goals. Meanwhile, even Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Ousmane Dembele get seven goal contributions. Lamine Yamal? Just one goal.
If you ask any elite player, dem go tell you team success trumps individual success. Spain dey for semi-finals, and Lamine continue to be dia most important player leading di way, in spite of im quiet showing for di race for Golden Boot. If Spain go on to win di World Cup, dat go count for more dan anything when im legacy dey written.
E dey turn just 19 years old dis week, and im trophy case don already overflow with titles for both Barcelona and Spain. Still, you no fit ignore di fact say di guy wey fit don win Ballon d'Or a year ago, and go likely be perennial candidate going forward, dey overshadow for dis World Cup.
Di question wey I no fit help but ask na whether Lamine Yamal and Pedri dey fully fit, and whether dem fit get knock-on effects heading into di new campaign with Barcelona. Spain start slow with dia 0-0 tie against Cape Verde, and dat put pressure on Luis de la Fuente to throw caution to di wind with im usage of Lamine.
Di Barcelona teenage sensation get nothing to prove for my mind, but when e play, e important for am to be one hundred percent healthy, so e fit perform at im best, and be set up for long term career with minimal injury disruptions. Messi get dat, and Lamine deserve am too.
Perhaps I dey wrong, and Lamine lack of goals and assists na because of other factors. I doubt am though. Managers need to protect dia best players. E suppose be responsibility and expectation. Hopefully, Spain go on to win di World Cup, and Lamine get im moment. After dat, send am to beach and give am plenty extra rest before di La Liga season begin.
Players like Lamine fit look like magicians, but make we always remember say for reality dem be humans. If we want am to keep entertaining di world, e must be treated dat way.
