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FC Barcelona v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD2Getty Images Sport
Neil Banerjee

Lamine Yamal doesn't realise 'the burden he's carrying' at Barcelona as former 'dressing room father figure' warns of weight being placed on wonderkid

L. Yamal
I. Martinez
Barcelona
LaLiga

Lamine Yamal may be Barcelona’s brightest star, but not everyone believes he understands the true weight he carries. Former Barca defender Inigo Martinez, who once served as a “father figure” in the dressing room, has warned that the teenage prodigy’s brilliance might mask the immense expectations placed on him. From shared moments on the pitch to candid insights, Martinez offers a blunt view of the club’s growing dependence on its youngest hope.

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  • Inigo Martinez weighs in on Yamal’s burden

    Martinez joined Barcelona in 2023 from Athletic Club on a free transfer, signing a two-year deal. His early days were disrupted by a foot injury, but he soon established himself as a reliable presence in the defence during the 2024–25 season.

    Amid his own challenges, Martinez found a connection with one of Barca’s youngest talents, Yamal. The two shared the pitch during the treble-winning season, including La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Supercopa de Espana victories. Yamal, then just 17, looked up to Martinez as a guide and role model in a demanding locker room. The 34-year-old Spanish centre-back shares the pressures faced by the teenage star carrying the hopes of a club still rebuilding its identity.

  • Atletico de Madrid v FC Barcelona - Copa del ReyGetty Images Sport

    'He doesn’t know the weight he’s carrying' - Martinez

    Reflecting on his time in Catalonia, Martinez spoke with deep affection about Yamal as he confessed that the Spanish prodigy did saw him as role model and father figure in the dressing room.

    "I had a special relationship with Lamine, which was mutual from the very beginning. And it's true that he saw me as a role model, like a father in the locker room," Martinez, who left in the summer to join Al-Nassr, said in an interview with Cope.

    "He arrived very young, and these kinds of locker rooms are usually complicated. But I don't think he's aware of the burden he's carrying, because at 18, he's a footballer who has to pull the team together. I hope he continues like this, because the day he realises it, it will weigh on him."

  • Icons weigh in on Yamal's pressure

    Yamal’s rise has reignited an old debate at Barcelona: how much pressure is too much for a prodigy? Thierry Henry once warned that the club must “handle Yamal carefully,” drawing parallels with Bojan Krkic, a former La Masia prodigy who struggled under early fame. Henry cautioned that “everything happens too quickly” for young stars, urging patience and protection from burnout.

    Yamal’s ex-teammates echo this concern. Sergi Roberto has praised his “cold mentality,” while Rio Ferdinand called him “extraordinary but burdened by legacy.” Wearing the No.10 shirt once graced by Lionel Messi only amplifies expectations.

    Yet Yamal insists he isn’t overwhelmed. For him, football remains a joy, not a job. “I don’t feel pressure; I just want to play and enjoy it,” he said.

    Martinez also believes the same. The former Barca defender said: "The good thing about Lamine Yamal is that he's a kid who is focused and performs at a level that I've never seen at such a young age. And the difference between when he's on the pitch and when he's not is noticeable."

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    Do Barca rely on Yamal too much?

    Under coach Hansi Flick, Blaugrana's tactical system increasingly orbits around Yamal. “Lamine has become indispensable for us,” Flick admitted. “At just 17, he controls the rhythm, creates chances, and influences games like a seasoned professional. We’ve built much of our attacking play around his ability to unlock defenses.”

    That dependence has already translated into results. During the 2024–25 treble-winning season, Yamal scored eight La Liga goals and provided 13 assists becoming the youngest player to win two league titles. His standout performance came in a 4–3 comeback win over Real Madrid, where he scored and assisted to seal victory. Beyond club football, Yamal’s influence stretches to the international stage, where he became Spain’s youngest-ever scorer and helped secure the Euro 2024 title.

    Still, as Martinez’s words remind us, brilliance and burden often coexist. "He has people around him who keep a tight rein on him. But he's young and he'll make mistakes that everyone will talk about."

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LaLiga

31 Oct 2026

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