Younger and better than Lamine Yamal: la Masia's new gem really impresses Flick

La Masia has become Barça's greatest asset: some of the world's best footballers have been developed there. The cases of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, or Xavi Hernández are just the latest and most significant examples. Currently, Barça's squad boasts up to 10 homegrown players, with Lamine Yamal standing out as the most prominent among them.

Lamine Yamal is the main reference of this Barça, born in 2007 in Esplugues del Llobregat, has recently come of age. His passion and skill for soccer showed from an early age, quickly standing out in local teams. He joined La Masia and in youth categories he stood out with his outstanding performances in national and international competitions.

In September 2022, Xavi Hernández called him up to train with the first team while he was still a youth player. At the age of 16, Lamine Yamal made his debut with the first team against Real Betis at Camp Nou. Lamine became the youngest player to debut for Barça in an official match, marking the beginning of his brilliant and promising career.

Lamine Yamal, the star

The forward developed at La Masia has established himself as the team's main star last season under Hansi Flick. In September 2023, he made his debut with the Spanish senior national team against Georgia, scoring a goal. At just 16, he became the youngest player to play and score for Spain in a European Championship qualifying phase.

Lamine Yamal made history again in the semifinals against France by becoming the youngest player to score in a European Championship. He was named the most valuable player of the match, consolidating his meteoric rise in the elite of international soccer. Spain advanced to the final against England, becoming European champions with a magnificent assist from him on Nico Williams's opening goal.

The new gem from La Masia could be better than Lamine Yamal

Beyond Lamine Yamal, La Masia keeps adding successes, and the latest group of youth players promises to make an impact. In this team, a winger named Iu Martínez, aged 16, stands out, who is surprising everyone with his goals and impossible dribbles. His latest great performance was against Palmeiras in the semifinals of the Club World Cup, where he ended up scoring both goals for the team.

Iu Martínez is a right-footed winger who usually plays on the opposite flank. He recently renewed his contract with Barça until June 2028, and under his coach Cesc Bosch, he is standing out as a left winger. His growth and performance in the youth team currently make him one of the gems to watch very closely for his innate talent.

It is clear that Iu Martínez still has a way to go to reach Lamine Yamal's level. However, those who have seen him play claim that he could even become better than Barça's "10". Only time will tell.