Yamal would rather not wear the number 10 shirt

However, the result seems to be just a sideshow compared to the real story that is unfolding. Yes, this is Lamine Yamal's first performance in the legendary number 10 shirt.

The Barcelona No. 10 shirt is more than just a number on the back. It carries the legacy of Diego Maradona, Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, legends not only of Barcelona but of the whole world .

More than a month ago, when Barcelona gave Yamal the number 10 shirt, people understood that the club chose him as a symbol of Camp Nou, shouldering the historical responsibility. Therefore, the friendly match, which is trivial to everyone, has great significance for Yamal personally.

45 minutes of disaster

But reality was a slap in the face to Yamal. In the 45 minutes before being substituted at half-time, Yamal had perhaps one of the worst days of his young career. The statistics don't lie: 0/6 successful dribbles, only 1/7 duels won, no shots on target in 3 attempts, 3 long passes missed all 3 and lost the ball 14 times.

What hurts the most is perhaps not the dry numbers, but the fact that names like Katsuya Nagato or Takahiro Ogihara, defenders that most fans around the world have never heard of, were able to "pocket" a talent praised across Europe.

Yamal is lost with the number 10 shirt on his back

The Vissel Kobe defenders did their job very well. They took good care of Yamal, not letting him get comfortable in any situation.

However, this is not the first time Yamal has been closely monitored and it will not be the last. Last season, despite being closely monitored, Yamal still scored 18 goals (and 25 assists) in 55 games in all competitions, helping Barcelona win the domestic title.

Obviously, the external factors are only part of the story. The other, perhaps more important, part lies in what Yamal has been doing over the past summer months.

Too much partying and not enough training during the summer break took away from Yamal's quickness and grace - the qualities that made him famous. On the Japanese pitch, Yamal looked like a dull version of himself, lacking the delicate ball handling that fans were accustomed to.

The number 10 shirt increases complacency

The long vacation with trips around the world, lavish parties, especially a boisterous 18th birthday party showed signs of satisfaction for Yamal. The early handing over of the number 10 shirt made the Spanish talent feel the world at his feet even more and lowered his desire to improve.

This is a trap that many young talents have fallen into. When success comes too early, when the spotlight shines too brightly, it becomes harder than ever to maintain focus and discipline. Yamal is no exception.

Yamal needs to quickly regain the ease he had when wearing the number 19 shirt.

The praise and the award of the number 10 shirt became a catalyst that triggered complacency in Yamal's mind. When talking about the legend Messi recently, Yamal admitted that Leo is the greatest in history but also admitted that "I want to have my own story" - instead of being humble, he wants to follow and learn from his senior.

Coach Pep Guardiola, with many years of experience, has just warned again with an analogy: "The fact that he is compared to Messi is a big problem in itself, it's like comparing a painter to Van Gogh."

Yamal and his family may be offended by Guardiola's words. But the reality is that such cold water is necessary to keep Yamal grounded.

On the journey to become great stars, Messi and Ronaldo have to overcome many opponents, but the biggest enemy is themselves. If they indulge themselves on the yacht for too long, or become too complacent with countless compliments when being awarded the number 10 and number 7 shirts, they probably cannot become legends, let alone dominate the football world for 2 decades.

Source: https://znews.vn/yamal-tha-dung-mang-ao-so-10-post1572335.html