Reason Why Lamine Yamal Is Better Than Ballon d’Or Runner Up Vinicius Jr
- Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior has been told he is not a 'better' footballer than 17-year-old Lamine Yamal
- Despite finishing in second place in the 2024 Ballon d'Or Awards, a former Spain star said the Brazilian is still lacking
- He argued that the Barcelona starlet has everything in his locker to be a world-beater ahead of Vini Jr.
Barcelona’s rising star, Lamine Yamal, has drawn comparisons to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, with some arguing that the teenager may already surpass the Brazilian in certain aspects.
Since breaking into the first team, Yamal has dazzled fans and pundits alike with his exceptional talent, shattering records along the way.
Source: Getty Images
Lamine Yamal's hot form this season
His contributions were instrumental in Spain’s victory at the 2024 European Championship, and his impressive form this season has continued to bolster his reputation.
At just 17 years old, Yamal has been a key figure in Barcelona's early dominance in the Spanish La Liga.
According to Transfermarkt, he has 14 goal contributions (six goals and eight assists) in just 11 appearances across all competitions, playing a pivotal role in Barca's quest to wrest the Spanish title from their eternal rivals, Real Madrid.
Comparing Vinicius to Lamine
In contrast, Vinicius Junior, who was electrifying during the second half of last season and central to Madrid’s trophy haul—save for the Copa del Rey—has had a slower start to the current campaign.
Despite agonisingly missing out on the 2024 Ballon d’Or to Rodri, the Brazilian winger hasn’t quite reached the expected heights this term, showing flashes of brilliance but lacking consistency.
Lamine Yamal told he's better than Vinicius
On that note, former Spain international Marcos Senna recently weighed in on the debate, arguing that Yamal could surpass Vinicius due to his superior technical ability.
“Both are fantastic players, but I personally prefer Lamine,” Senna stated as quoted by Tribuna, pointing to the youngster’s superior ball control and decision-making.
"Vinicius sometimes makes wild passes. The other day, he gave one to Rodrygo [against Espanyol], and it looked like it was [Luka] Modric to give it to him."
While Senna acknowledged Yamal’s immense potential, he also identified one area where Vinicius currently has the edge — raw speed.
"But Lamine hits it much better, and he's more exciting to watch in one-on-one duels. If he had Vinicius' speed, he would be the perfect dribbler."
Real Madrid star praises Yamal
In a related report, YEN.com.gh shared that Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger lavished praise on Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.
Despite the intense rivalry between the teams, the German was awed by Yamal's abilities which have helped him rewrite history.
Source: YEN.com.gh
