Lamine Yamal vs Vinicius: The surprising stat that puts the Barcelona gem ahead
Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal has already made waves on the international stage.
What makes his early career even more remarkable is that he has now surpassed Vinicius Junior, one of the top talents in world football, in terms of goal contributions for their respective national teams.
At just 17 years of age, Yamal has achieved three goals and nine assists in just 16 appearances for Spain. This level of productivity is impressive, especially considering that Vinicius, a key player for Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team, has contributed five goals and five assists in 34 matches for Brazil.
While the Brazilian is undoubtedly a world-class talent and a key figure for his club, Yamal’s numbers are hard to ignore, particularly when you take into account the fewer games he has played compared to the Brazilian winger.
The only way for Yamal is up
The fact that Yamal has surpassed a player of Vinicius’ calibre in this regard is significant. It highlights just how much of an impact he has had in a short period of time.
His performances for Spain, especially at the Euros, despite his young age, show that he is more than capable of handling the pressure and delivering results on the big stage.
It is not often that a teenager can step into a senior national team and immediately start contributing goals and assists at such a rate.
Vinicius, on the other hand, has taken longer to establish himself as a consistent performer, especially for Brazil. His contributions for the national team have been more sporadic, with fewer assists and goals compared to what he has produced at Real Madrid.
Despite playing 34 matches for Brazil, his numbers on the international stage are not as strong as they are at the club level.
This could be due to various factors, such as the different style of play in international football or the role he is asked to play within the Brazilian team. Regardless, Yamal’s quicker impact for Spain cannot be understated.