Barcelona s new No. 10! Yamal is ready to take over Messi, but we must be wary of "Nemar s detours"

In the result, Barcelona's No. 10 jersey, Yamal seems to be ready to take over Messi, but he must be wary of the traps brought by his global reputation. Goal author James Westwood talked about this topic.

After several months of anticipation, Yamal finally signed a new six-year contract with Barcelona a few days ago. It is reported that this agreement has made Yamal the highest-paid player in Barcelona, with an annual salary of 30 million euros. Of course, such a generous contract is also his reward for winning the team's triple-winning domestic championship in the 24/25 season.

But perhaps more importantly, it is Yamal who got the No. 10 jersey left by Messi. This iconic jersey was vacant after Fati joined Monaco on loan early this summer - the youth training graduate ultimately failed to withstand the historical pressure it carried.

But for Yamal, it may not be the same problem. He told reporters: "I don't feel stressed; I'm in the best club in the world. Messi goes his way, I will go my way, and the No. 10 jersey is originally from Fati. I will try to open my own path."

This fearless spirit is exactly what distinguishes Yamal from his peers since his stunning debut in the adult team.

Following the same path as Messi and his predecessors Ronaldo, Romario and Maradona did not fear the Spanish international. After all, before turning 18 on July 13, he had contributed 74 goals (goals + assists) to the club and the national team and won four major championships, including the European Cup.

Yamar may even become the youngest Ballon d'Or winner in history later this year, and he continues to give amazing performances in his most important matches. If he continues to maintain his current trajectory, the sky is the limit. But to do this, Yamal must avoid repeating the trap Neymar fell into when he was also attracted worldwide attention in Catalonia.

Birthday Party Controversy

Yamar's new contract is partially overshadowed by the headlines sparked by its lavish 18th birthday party last Sunday. It is reported that about 200 guests attended a grand party held in a rural mansion rented in Oliveira, including numerous musicians, internet celebrities, and Barcelona teammates Lewandowski, Valde, Garvey and Rafinia.

According to Idealista, there was a cocktail bar area and gourmet dining, and a huge cake decorated with chocolate pistols and a large stack of banknotes was pushed into the theme of the "Italian Mafia" party. Yamal was wearing a striking all-white suit with red roses and diamond-studded canes, setting the tone of the party.

But when a group of dwarfs are photographed heading to the party scene, the controversy is ignited. They were allegedly hired by Yamal to provide entertainment, and the Spanish Association for Cartilage Insufficiency and Other Skeletal Dysplasia (ADEE) called the move "unacceptable in the 21st century". The ADEE also filed a complaint with the Spanish government, requesting a comprehensive investigation to "to determine whether the law has been violated and in turn violated the rights of persons with disabilities."

A gnome who allegedly attended the party then insisted to RAC1 radio that everything was open and that "we did the job because we would," but at the best, the whole incident would be seen as a serious misjudgment of Yamal, and at the worst, his reputation could be permanently damaged.

Neilmar's "bad influence"?

According to Spanish journalist Estrada, Barcelona is "very worried" about Yamal's behavior this summer. The young ace was also photographed on vacation with OnlyFans model Fati Vasquez and he visited the home of former Barcelona star Neymar in Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro.

Yamar recorded his trip to fans on social media, playing squirt balls with Neymar, relaxing by the pool and swapping jerseys with the Santos poster boy, Neymar is currently trying to rebuild his career at the club he played as a child after a period of injury plagued by the Riyadh Crescent. But the Daily Mail reported that there are concerns that Neymar may have a "bad effect" on Yamal.

Nemar was nicknamed "Party Little Prince" from 2013 to 2017, and this situation almost broke out after he joined Paris Saint-Germain with a world-record transfer fee. The Brazilian international has made headlines for appearing in nightclubs in the French capital, far more than his football achievements and has often been criticized for being considered a lack of professionalism.

Given that Neymar is also cruelly tortured by injuries, some of the criticisms are a bit unfair, but there is no doubt that he has failed to show enough to prove the value of his 222 million euros at the Princes Park Stadium. In this sense, when Yamal began to take on greater responsibilities at Barcelona, Neymar might not be his best role model.

Can't be distracted

Neymar achieved great success at Barcelona, won La Liga and Champions League titles, and formed the highly acclaimed "MSN" forward trident with Messi and Suarez, but it is generally believed that he has never fully realized his full potential. This may be a matter of mindset, but it may also be that he failed to perfectly balance work and play.

Yamar disregarded the criticism surrounding his 18th birthday party, saying: "I work for Barcelona, but outside the training ground, I enjoy my life". It is absolutely fine for Yamal to say this, but he must be careful to make sure he is not distracted. If Yamal lets his level decline even if it drops slightly and Barcelona's performance declines, he will face the same widespread accusations that Neymar has ever suffered.

Although Yamal is just a child who is still growing up physically and mentally, he will be judged as an adult because he has already reached the football elite. Fortunately, he has a strong support network. According to BBC Sports columnist Barrag, Yamal's parents "play a key role in keeping him down to earth" and are not afraid to "talk the truth". They not only helped to develop Yamal's unique talent, but also instilled in him the importance of working hard and pursuing excellence.

"My ambition is simple: to keep winning and improve every day. I am still young and have great potential in the future," Yamal added when signing. As long as he maintains this attitude, the future will be very bright for him and Barcelona.

has surpassed Messi

Yamar, who has the competitive consciousness needed to become a great player, and also plays with a carefree and carefree manner, which makes him look so exciting. That's why he's often compared to Messi, who was just as bold and creative in the early days of Barcelona, but the Argentine magician has always been a quiet character, not seeking the spotlight.

In sharp contrast, Yamal seems to enjoy the spotlight. He is reportedly one of the most popular players in the current Barcelona locker room and has used social media as a tool to stimulate his opponents or critics.

When Messi needs time to adapt to fame, Yamal seems to be unbounded by self-awareness. This may explain to some extent why his development is actually much ahead of Messi at the same time.

In fact, before the age of 21, Yamal played for Barcelona for 200 minutes longer than Messi. At the age of 18, Messi had only one professional goal and no assists under his name, nor did he represent Argentina in international competitions. In comparison, Yamal has scored 25 goals in a Barcelona jersey, sent 34 assists, and played 21 times for the Spanish national team.

These data are simply extraordinary, but more impressive is that Barcelona has already regarded Yamal as their main source of inspiration, which was not revealed in Messi until Ronaldo left the club.

Like humility

Yamar easily indulges in his halo. Rafinia, Lewandowski and Pedri also performed well in the process of Barcelona winning La Liga and Copa del Rey last season, but Yamal won the most praises.

Some of his performances really made people breathless, including in the first leg of the European match that instantly became a classic against Inter Milan. The two teams shook hands 3-3 at the Companis Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, and Yamal made Inter's defense line terrified from the first minute to the last minute.

After Inter Milan scored a 2-0 lead early, he brought Barcelona back to the game with a wonderful individual goal, hit the goal frame twice, completing 6 successful passes, and touching the ball in total 102 times. Former Inter Milan coach Simeone Inzag said after the game: "Yamar is the kind of genius that only appears every 50 years."

At the same time, former Manchester United defender Ferdinand declared in the TNT Sports Studio: "As a pure football genius, I think Yamal is one level higher than any player in the five major leagues in the world football." On that night, no one could disagree with this evaluation.

After receiving so much praise, Yamal has not had the same self-awareness as Ronaldo, which is simply a small miracle. But despite his extreme confidence in Barcelona's new gem, he also has the same flattering humility as Messi.

Yamar told reporters this week: "To be honest, I don't care about criticism and praise unless they come from my family or someone very close to me, because I may fly high in one day and fall low in the next day,"

"This is my lifelong club."

As a right winger who is fast-paced and likes to cut in with his usual left foot, Yamal can never get rid of the comparison with Messi, but they are very different. Messi is the ultimate offensive organizer, respected for his delicate ball control, ability to control the game and output in the offensive three zones, while Yamal's style of playing is more direct and almost unstoppable in one-on-one situations.

"I think he's more like Neymar. His dribble, his thinking speed when he passes the defender. Just when you think you can intercept the ball from his feet, he did something you've never seen in your life," Rafinia said of his Barcelona teammate in an interview with The National in November.

Yamar also has Neymar's carefree "samba" spirit, which makes the stadium under him seem to have become his playground. Coupled with the talented football IQ of the same level as Messi, Barcelona's new No. 10 has the potential to become the best player ever.

Given that Messi scored a record 709 goals for Barcelona and won 10 La Liga titles and 4 Champions League titles, it may sound far-fetched, but it is also possible if we can see Yamal shine in Catalonia for another 20 years as he wishes.

"I will give everything to make the fans happy," he said solemnly on Wednesday. "This is my lifelong club and the best club in the world."

This is just the beginning of the Yamal story, and the next chapter is destined to be more fascinating.