There are players who make a team better, and then there are players who make a team look like a completely different outfit altogether. Lamine Yamal is very much in that second category, and Spain's latest performance was about as clear a reminder of that as anyone could ask for.
When Yamal is in the side, Spain have that extra dimension that just makes everything click. He drags defenders out of position, he finds pockets of space that simply should not exist, and he does it all with the kind of confidence that most teenagers reserve for arguing with their parents. The kid is something else entirely.
What stands out most is how naturally he handles the big occasion. You would expect an 18-year-old to look a bit shaky when the pressure is on, to maybe go missing when it matters. Yamal does the exact opposite. He seems to actively go looking for the ball when the stakes are highest, which is either brilliant mental strength or a complete lack of fear. Either way, it works.
Spain are already a well-organised, technically gifted side. They do not exactly need saving. But there is a difference between a good Spain team and a genuinely scary Spain team, and Yamal is the thing that tips them from one to the other. Without him, they are solid and hard to beat. With him, they are the kind of team that can pull something out of nothing and make it look effortless.
With World Cup 2026 on the horizon, the conversation about who will be the tournament's standout player is already warming up. Mbappe will have his backers, Vinicius Junior will have his, and the usual suspects will all get their mentions. But if Yamal carries this form into next summer, that conversation might be pretty short. He has the talent, he has the stage, and he clearly has the temperament for it.
At 18, he is already the most exciting player in international football. Scary thought, really.
Let me know your thoughts.