Lamine Yamal’s meteoric rise in football has caught the attention of the world—and now tennis legend Boris Becker is weighing in.
The Barcelona teenager, who made his first-team debut at just 15, has gone from prodigy to superstar in a matter of years.
By 18, Yamal has already claimed LaLiga titles and a European Championship, proving that age is no barrier to greatness.
Stardom and Recognition
Yamal’s talent hasn’t gone unnoticed. On Monday, he finished second in the Ballon d’Or rankings behind Ousmane Dembele and secured the Kopa Trophy for the second consecutive year.
It’s clear that the footballing world sees him as one of the brightest young stars, if not the brightest.
Off-Field Headlines
Of course, fame isn’t always limited to the pitch.
Yamal has recently made headlines for his personal life, including a holiday spotted with an OnlyFans model and accusations surrounding his 18th birthday party involving dwarfs and women allegedly chosen based on their measurements. Addressing the controversies, Yamal shrugged them off, saying:
“I wasn’t mad. I found it funny. They tried to smear it in many ways.
A woman said I chose the girls one way or another, and it was all a lie.
Then there was the thing about the waiters, who were working there.”
Focus on Football
With the new season underway, the spotlight is back on Yamal’s footballing achievements—a focus Becker fully supports.
Speaking to TalkSport, Becker shared both admiration and a warning for the young talent:
“Lamine is wonderful. He’s winning everything. He’s the best young player in the world right now.
He reminds me of myself when I was 17. With him, my alarm bells ring.”
A Word of Caution
Becker isn’t just praising Yamal; he’s also cautioning him about the pressures of early fame.
“You only have to look at what Lamine Yamal is going through these days.
I think he has a very high risk of facing certain difficulties in 10 or 15 years.
In his case, he comes from very humble origins, and now he and his entire family are rich, and a lot of people are going to approach him out of interest.”
“He’s lost all his privacy. He needs to have two or three serious people around him.
He needs to choose his friends, trust his family, and build a safety net.”
Lessons from Becker’s Own Career
Becker knows the pitfalls of early stardom all too well.
He won Wimbledon at 17, still the youngest male champion in history, and went on to claim six Grand Slam titles, including three Wimbledons. But the fame wasn’t always easy to handle.
“When I won Wimbledon at 17, I was still trying to grow up and find my place in the world,” he said.
“After you win, whatever you do becomes global news and makes headlines in the biggest newspapers.
I’m happy to have won three Wimbledons, but maybe at 17 I was too young. I was still a kid.”
Guiding the Next Generation
Becker’s advice is simple yet crucial: surround yourself with trustworthy people, protect your privacy, and focus on the game.
If Yamal can navigate these pressures wisely, his footballing career could be as legendary as his talent suggests.