Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal has already made an impression on the international stage.
What makes his early career even more impressive is that he has now surpassed Vinicius Junior, one of the world’s best football players, in terms of goal contributions for their respective national teams. Yamal, only 17 years old, has three goals and nine assists in 16 appearances for Spain.
This level of productivity is particularly impressive given that Vinicius, a key player for Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team, has five goals and five assists in 34 games for Brazil.
While the Brazilian is undeniably a world-class talent and a key figure for his club, Yamal’s statistics are difficult to ignore, especially given that he has played fewer games than the Brazilian winger.
The only way for Yamal is up. Vinicius Jr. has struggled to make an impact in Brazil. (Photo credit: Lucas Figueiredo/Getty Images) Vinicius Jr. has struggled to make an impact in Brazil. (Photo credit: Lucas Figueiredo/Getty Images)
Yamal has outperformed Vinicius in this regard, which is significant. It demonstrates his rapid rise to prominence. Despite his young age, his performances for Spain, particularly at the Euros, demonstrate that he is more than capable of handling pressure and producing results on a large scale. It is unusual for a teenager to join a senior national team and immediately begin contributing goals and assists at such a high rate.
Vinicius, on the other hand, has taken longer to establish himself as a reliable performer, particularly for Brazil. His contributions to the national team have been more sporadic, with fewer assists and goals than his performances at Real Madrid.
Despite playing 34 matches for Brazil, his international statistics are not as impressive as they are at the club level. This could be due to a variety of factors, including the different style of play in international football and the role he is assigned to within the Brazilian team. Regardless, Yamal’s rapid impact on Spain cannot be overstated.
