Spanish midfielder Rodri has advised teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to "calm down" and stop fixating on proving his worth at the World Cup. Speaking ahead of Spain's semi-final clash, Rodri stressed that Yamal remains a vital player for the team despite his modest goal tally.
Yamal's World Cup struggles
Spain entered the tournament as European champions, with Yamal as their standout star. However, they drew their opening match against Cape Verde before finding form against Portugal and Belgium. Yamal has managed only one goal and no assists in six games, far below his usual standards. The 19-year-old Barcelona winger is seen as a generational talent but has yet to hit top gear in the competition.
Rodri, who won the Ballon d'Or after being named best player at Euro 2024, insists Yamal's impact extends beyond scoring. "I think he needs to calm down a bit, that anxiety that sometimes he has to prove himself. He's a very important player for us because of what he does with and without the ball, and he's a very intelligent guy," Rodri said. "It's true that he's 19 years old and that we have to calm him down at certain moments of the game."
Yamal responds to critics
Yamal has hit back at critics, arguing that his movement creates space for teammates even when he doesn't score. "If we win the World Cup, I think nobody will remember how many goals I scored or how many I didn't. If we win, we'll all be happy, that's all I want," he said, according to COPE. He added, "I know that with my movement I draw a lot of opponents away; I can create space for a teammate. Anything I can do to help, even if I don't touch the ball in a play, will be a positive. I think everyone's obsessed with scoring goals."
Previous heroics and club form
At Euro 2024, Yamal scored a spectacular long-range goal in the semi-final against France, helping Spain secure victory. He was electric throughout that tournament as Spain claimed the title. Last season, he enjoyed his best goal-scoring campaign, netting 24 times as Barcelona retained La Liga, six more than the previous season. Spain are aiming for their second World Cup title, following their 2010 triumph.
