Awe-struck Xavi wanted to hand Barcelona prodigy his debut much before his actual first appearance

Jordi Cruyff, the former director of football at Barcelona, has shared insights about Lamine Yamal’s early career and the club’s handling of his debut. 

He revealed that Xavi, the former manager, had initially wanted to give Yamal his first appearance for the club sooner than he did. However, at that time, the club had not secured Yamal with a formal contract, which raised concerns about potential interest from other teams.

It must be noted that Yamal made his official debut for Barcelona on April 29, 2023, at just 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old during a match against Real Betis. 

Even before this milestone, he had already impressed the coaching staff and his teammates, demonstrating exceptional talent during training sessions. 

Cruyff reminisced about how Xavi immediately recognised Yamal’s unique abilities after only a few minutes of practice. Despite this recognition, the decision was made to delay his debut to ensure that the club could secure him for the long term.

“I remember because the first time he went to train, after five minutes, Xavi, looked at us and said, ‘This is special,’” Cruyff told MovieStar Plus. 

“I even remember that Xavi wanted to give him his debut a little earlier and we were thinking… but we don’t have a contract with the boy, so we’re going to make sure first that he’s going to be ours for many years,” he added.

Yamal left everyone awestruck

Barcelona wanted Lamine Yamal to play for Barcelona sooner than he did. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The club’s priority was to protect Yamal from being targeted by rival teams, which is why they considered holding back his debut until they had him under contract. 

Cruyff highlighted the reaction of veteran players when Yamal first touched the ball in training, noting that they were captivated by his talent, acknowledging that such skills are rare to find.

“I remember the players, his veteran teammates, when he touched the first ball, everyone had those eyes on them saying, ‘This is something different, very difficult to find.”

Now, at 17 years old, Yamal has already established himself in elite football, but Cruyff urges caution regarding expectations placed on him. While he is undeniably a rising star with extraordinary talent, Cruyff believes it is important to allow Yamal time to develop. 

He emphasised the need to be patient, recognising that Yamal will have both good and bad moments on the pitch, as is typical for young players.

Lamine Yamal surprised club veterans with his performance in youth division. (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)

“He is a star, but we are always a little afraid. He is very young, we have to give him time, we have to accept his games, that sometimes he will have better and worse moments, sometimes he will make a wrong decision, although almost never, it is very strange for his age. 

“But I quite agree that it is not good for anyone to try to classify him as the best right now. 

“We all know that in terms of talent and for his age he is the best, but it is better to stay calm, keep your feet on the ground, be humble, and let him keep working because he is a player with extraordinary talent,” he explained.

Recently, Yamal continued to make headlines by scoring against Monaco, which made him the second youngest goalscorer in Champions League history, following his teammate Ansu Fati. 

Despite Barcelona’s loss in that match, Yamal’s achievement further underscores his potential and the excitement surrounding his career.