Former Real Madrid star cautions against placing the weight of Spain NT on Barcelona sensation: “Too early” | OneFootball

In a recent interaction with SPORT, Fernando Morientes, the former Real Madrid striker, has shared his thoughts on Lamine Yamal and the pressure surrounding the Barça pearl.

With the World Cup just around the corner, Morientes was asked about Yamal’s prospects and whether or not La Roja should solely rely on him to deliver the goods.

Morientes on Yamal’s Spain prospects

While Morientes is optimistic, he warned that the landscape of international football can shift rapidly due to the physical toll on key players, and that applies to Yamal as well.

“It’s too early to say, it’s January, and it’s happened to me many times; things change a lot in four or five months. Especially because there are several knocked,” he said.

“Nico Williams, half a year ago, seemed to me the most relevant player in the world on the left wing, along with Vini, surely. But suddenly, you have a player at Villarreal – Moleiro – who is at an extraordinary level,” he added.

Talking about Yamal, Morientes said he is optimistic about his stature in the team while stating that Spain are going to have a good World Cup.

“On the other side, you have Lamine Yamal, who also has physical problems, and we’ll see how he copes. Now, suddenly, Pedri is injured, who has been injured for one or two months,” he said.

“So, if you ask me if I see the national team at its best level, I see it, but not because I am Spanish, but because I travel a lot and I see that Spain is at an extraordinary level.

Lamine Yamal will play a crucial role for Spain in the upcoming World Cup. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

“In addition, everyone would like to have experienced young players who are on everyone’s lips and who make it a powerful team. Today, yes, I think we are going to have a good World Cup,” he added.

Perhaps the most significant question revolves around whether a teenager like Yamal, who is currently the most valuable player in the world, is ready to lead a nation at a World Cup.

Morientes acknowledged the youngster’s immense talent but pleaded for the responsibility to be shared among more senior players.

“He has character, talent and responsibility, but I think it’s still too early. I would ask other players who have more experience and are more settled. Since he has so much talent, he is so good and he is on everyone’s lips, they are going to ask him for that responsibility.

“And I have the feeling that, in the hypothetical case that it was bad, which we hope it was not, they would blame him,” he said.

The former striker emphasised that it would be a mistake to scapegoat Yamal if things go wrong, noting that leadership should come from established central pillars of the team.

“Although it is a mistake, because it has to be distributed among everyone, and we have to see where the failures are. That’s why I have the feeling that there are players who can lead the national team more from the point of view of position.

Finally, the former Real Madrid striker went on to back Martin Zubimendi as an ideal leader while stating that Yamal should continue to grow with Spain.

“Zubimendi, one of them, or the centre-backs, the goalkeepers. Lamine Yamal is a talented player, and we have to let him grow because he is still very young and has a lot to prove on an emotional and personal level,” he concluded.