The unbelievable coincidence of Yamal before major matches

Barcelona’s young talent Lamine Yamal is drawing worldwide football community interest after a string of significant losses.

According to Touchline, the 18-year-old forward confidently posted Instagram stories before three crucial matches, but the outcomes were three defeats with zero goals and zero assists. Ahead of important games, Lamine Yamal openly showed his confidence on Instagram.

Specifically, before the Nations League match between Spain and Portugal (early October), he posted a story with the phrase "Born for This" along with an image of himself standing amid a crowd of supporters. Then, before Barcelona faced PSG (October 2nd), Yamal posted another story saying "Pressure??" accompanied by a challenging pose towards the media.

The climax came before the El Clasico on October 26th at Santiago Bernabéu, where he posted a photo mocking Real Madrid fans as a declaration of challenge. However, the results were completely opposite: Spain lost to Portugal, Barcelona was defeated 1-2 by PSG, and most recently lost 1-2 to Real Madrid. Notably, Yamal did not score or assist in any of these three matches. This has raised questions about his ability to perform under high-pressure big games.

Despite criticism, some social media voices suggest that Yamal’s recent ankle injury might be the main cause of his decline in form. Before the match against Valencia, Barcelona confirmed Yamal had health issues after his time with the Spanish national team. Nonetheless, posting confident messages before games may have increased the pressure on the young player, especially considering El Clasico’s symbolic rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The recent El Clásico at Santiago Bernabéu was not only a battle on the field but also a drama off it. VAR controversy arose when a penalty for Real Madrid was canceled and then awarded again, while Barcelona’s Pedri was sent off for protesting. After the match, tensions escalated into a scuffle near the tunnel, linked to Yamal’s pre-match comments accusing Real Madrid of "stealing and complaining".

At such a young age, Lamine Yamal is still expected to overcome the pressure and prove his worth. However, these consecutive defeats serve as a harsh lesson, especially since he recently inherited the legendary number 10 shirt from Lionel Messi this season.