Lamine Yamal ‘Wouldn’t Make It’ in My Era

Former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique claims that top forward Lamine Yamal would not be able to enter the starting XI of the defender’s age. Former centre-back Pique, who had a trophy-filled career with both the club and the Spanish national team, is the first guest on a new podcast sponsored by his long-time opponent from El Clasico fights, former Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

The first edition of the podcast offers a frank conversation between the two former football players covering a range from their playing years to contemporary football.

Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old Barcelona winger who has already become a major squad player, had one of the most memorable exchanges with her.

Yamal is generally seen as one of the top talents of his generation having earned the esteemed Golden Boy award as the best under-21 footballer in the world and been instrumental in Spain’s triumphant Euro 2024 campaign.

Pique said he thought Yamal might not have had the same chances in their day. “My impression is that Lamine Yamal would not be performing in our generation,” he added as reported by Mundo Deportivo.

Fascinatingly, he left out whether he was referring to Barcelona or the Spanish national team, even though both teams had notable overlaps in their best years.

Apart from talking about upcoming stars, the two former players also considered the fierce rivalry Barcelona and Real Madrid had throughout their playing years.

More than 10 years ago, El Clasico confrontations were sometimes characterised by aggressive interactions on and off the pitch. Pique agreed that with emotions between the two teams running high, the environment surrounding such games occasionally descended into extreme levels.

“I disagree when lines are crossed that ought never to be crossed,” he said.