Jorge Mendes, one of the most prominent agents in football, has made his stance clear on who he believes is the best player of 2024.
For him, the standout performer has not been Rodri, Vinicius Jr., or Jude Bellingham. Instead, he firmly believes that Lamine Yamal has been the year’s best player.
However, Mendes feels the young Barcelona star has been overlooked due to his age. Many voters may have thought that at just 17 years old, Yamal still has plenty of time to win such prestigious awards, which has worked against him.
“Lamine Yamal has been the best, but he has also been a victim of his youth because many people who vote have thought that he is 17 years old and will have time to win these awards,” said the agent at the Globe Soccer Awards held in Dubai.
No point comparing
Mendes, who represents the young talent, highlighted Yamal’s exceptional maturity, both on and off the pitch.
Despite the immense responsibility of playing a leading role for Barcelona and the Spanish national team at such a young age, Yamal has shown no signs of being weighed down by the pressure.
Mendes is adamant that Yamal’s journey should not be compared to other legendary players, discouraging any parallels with Lionel Messi’s early years.
He believes every player’s career is unique, and Yamal’s achievements so far speak for themselves. “I don’t like to compare players,” he added.
Lamine Yamal is the future
The discussion about Yamal’s future at Barcelona also came up, and Mendes left no room for doubt.
He emphasised that Yamal’s place is at Barça and that his future is firmly tied to the Catalan club. Mendes expressed complete confidence that the young star will renew his contract and continue to shine in Barcelona colours for many years to come.
“Lamine’s future is in Barcelona. Barça is his place. He will renew and will be here for many years,” he noted.
Yamal’s rise has been extraordinary, and even at such a young age, he is already a vital player for both club and country.
Source: MARCA
