France head coach Didier Deschamps has delivered an extraordinary tribute to Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, praising the 17-year-old for the fearless way he has embraced the weight of Barcelona’s historic number 10 jersey.
“When Yamal took the number 10 shirt, I was afraid the boy would break it,” Deschamps admitted. “The number 10 at Barcelona isn’t just a number, it’s a heavy historical burden. Even the greats tremble when they wear it. But instead of crumbling under pressure, he shocked me! He grew like a monster, he led the attack like a veteran captain.”
Deschamps went further, highlighting Yamal’s unique mentality: “Why did he succeed where others failed? Because he has the mentality of a beast that doesn’t care about pressure. His talent is raw like a diamond, and pressure only polishes him. Comparing him to Messi? No one can be Messi, but Yamal is writing his own legend, in his own way.”
The French manager concluded with a powerful statement: “Sometimes we must dare to take risks because true talent is born to take responsibility. Today, I am proud to have witnessed the birth of a new legend.”
With performances that continue to stun Europe, Yamal’s rise has now been stamped with recognition from one of football’s most respected voices — and Barcelona fans are starting to believe they are watching the dawn of a once-in-a-generation superstar.
