Barcelona legend Luis Suarez has delivered heartfelt advice to 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, reminding the prodigy that even at football’s highest level, true growth comes from joy and experience.
Suarez advises Yamal to keep enjoying football to keep improving
Still not even 18 but already instrumental in Barcelona’s domestic double last season, Yamal has taken the football world by storm.
Suarez, speaking to DAZN, acknowledged the young winger’s remarkable composure under pressure.
“Lamine is a player who is showing maturity at an early age compared to others. He shows great maturity at the age of 17,” said Suarez, clearly impressed by his former club’s rising star.
Yamal has also earned recognition as a serious Ballon d’Or contender.
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente described his recent performance against France in the Nations League semifinal—where the teenager scored twice and secured MVP—as a “big Ballon d’Or statement,” even going so far as to call him “the best player in the world”.
But Suarez brings things back to earth. He cautions that, despite flashes of genius, the learning curve remains steep, regardless of talent.
“He has to continue to enjoy himself and continue to gain experience in order to continue to improve.
There are still things he needs to learn, as we all learned when we were 18, 20, or 25 years old,” Suarez told DAZN.
With Suarez currently gearing up for the Club World Cup with Inter Miami alongside former Barca legends Messi, Busquets, and Alba, the message resonates.
“This is his era now,” Suarez added, “so he must keep that hunger, learn from every game and—most importantly—keep enjoying it.”
His words hit home: in football, brilliance is forged not just through skill, but through passion, patience, and the simple joy of the beautiful game.
