Lamine Yamal sparks eye-opening admission from Barcelona star Lewandowski: ‘I thought this is impossible’
Lamine Yamal recently turned 18, but despite his young age, he’s already established himself as one of the brightest stars in world soccer. His talent was the subject of praise from Barcelona teammate Robert Lewandowski.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Lewandowski recalled the first time he faced Yamal during a training session with the Spanish side. “It is the first time in my life I saw after 50 minutes that he had something special,” Robert explained.
What stood out to the Polish striker wasn’t just the impressive skill Lamine showed in his first minutes playing with Barcelona’s first team—it was how young he was while doing it. “I didn’t believe it because I didn’t see this kind of player at this age — I thought this is impossible at 15,” Lewandowski admitted.
Yamal made his debut for Barcelona in late April 2023, during the final stretch of Lewandowski’s first season with the club. By that time, Robert already had a long career at top European clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, and was well-versed in playing alongside and against elite talent.
He had, for example, played alongside stars like Marco Reus, Arjen Robben, and Thomas Muller, and faced icons such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar. Still, none had ever surprised him as much as Lamine Yamal.
Lewandowski on Barcelona’s rising stars
Led by Lamine Yamal, Barcelona currently boast a core of young talent that has already made a major impact on world soccer. Alongside the Spanish winger are standout names like Pedri, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Alejandro Balde, and Pau Cubarsi.
“I understood that I cannot fight with them but I can help them and they can also help me,” Lewandowski said about the group of young teammates at Barcelona. “I learn from them a lot. I didn’t think it would happen like that.”
Despite the age difference—Lewandowski is 19 years older than Yamal—the Polish forward doesn’t feel at a disadvantage. “When I see that I still don’t have to catch the young guys, that they still have to catch me, it means this next season can also be very good,” he said. “I am still there to show the best performance from myself.”
How has the Lewandowski–Yamal duo worked out?
In recent times, Barcelona’s attacking power has largely revolved around Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal. The two have played 93 matches together, recording 64 wins, 12 draws, and 17 losses. They’ve directly combined for 10 goals, assisting each other, and have played decisive roles in helping Barcelona secure two La Liga titles, a Copa del Rey, and a Spanish Super Cup.