Former Barcelona player Emmanuel Petit has warned Lamine Yamal to work on his mentality if he wants to achieve long-term success in football. The former France international warned the teenage sensation of the pressure he could face in the future, drawing parallels to Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe.
Yamal is currently one of football's most highly-rated players. The 18-year-old has impressed fans and experts with his performances for both club and country and has tipped for greatness by many. His sudden rise has drawn him comparisons to Barca legend Lionel Messi, who cemented his legacy at the Catalan club.
In a recent interview, Petit was questioned about Yamal's abilities and how opponent sides can stop the Spanish from dazzling on the right wing. He said via:
"He reminds me of Messi on the right wing. Every time he touches the ball, you can see he's creating danger. He usually draws two or even three opponents into his area, which opens up space for his teammates. That's why Barça is so dangerous. With Raphinha and a great midfield, the threat can come from anywhere. I've seen many teams try to defend by putting two or three players against Yamal, and it doesn't work."
Petit urged Yamal to work hard on his mentality and tipped him to win the coveted Ballon d'Or in the future if he continues with brilliant performances and wins major titles at both club and international level.
"At his age, he's a phenomenon. If he maintains this level, he'll win the Ballon d'Or. And he knows he has to repeat that, both at Barça and with the Spanish national team. The World Cup is coming up at the end of the season, another big goal for him. But to truly establish himself, he needs to win the Champions League. His qualities—technique, vision, power, intelligence in his movements—are unique. The only thing he needs to improve is his mentality."
The 54-year-old also warned the Barca youngster of the pressure he could face if things turn sour in the future, drawing parallels to Mbappe's struggles at Real Madrid at the start of the 2024-25 season. He advised Yamal to carefully manage his behaviour outside the pitch, as it could send a wrong indication of being arrogant.
"Right now, everything is going well for him. But if something negative happens, there will be plenty waiting to bring him down. We'll see how he reacts. It's similar to Mbappé: for years everything was green, then suddenly everything collapsed and he wasn't the same on the pitch. Yamal needs to be careful with his communication and social media management. Sometimes a touch of arrogance comes across."
"In the past, great footballers tended to be quite shy. Some were arrogant, yes, but they backed it up with their play. The problem arises when the results aren't there. He's still very young, and his brilliance is due in part to pure talent; maturity will come. The player who's on the pitch should help him grow off it as well," Petit concluded.
Yamal played a pivotal role for Both Spain and Barcelona last season. He helped Spain finish as runners-up behind Portugal in the UEFA Nations League and guided Barca to a domestic treble of the League, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana.
In 55 matches across all competitions last season, Yamal scored 18 goals and 25 assists. He is notably one of the front-runners for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.