Yamal piles up LaLiga numbers and looks like the leader

Lamine Yamal is having a stunning start to the season with Barcelona and, at the same time, is putting his individual case front and centre. As Mundo Deportivo reports, the Barça No. 10 is strengthening his Ballon d’Or bid thanks to big performances and a starring role in the team’s collective success.

Numbers that stand out

After completing the first seven LaLiga matchdays, Yamal already has seven goals. He’s also leading several categories: he has the most assists (4), level with Anthony Gordon and Javi Hernández; he’s also the top dribbler with 30 successful dribbles, ahead of Kylian Mbappé. In chance creation, he tops key passes (28) and is the player who creates the most clear-cut chances (10) in this league start.

The article argues that his ability to pull defenders towards him is creating space for the rest of the team to hurt opponents.

Champions impact and next test

Mundo Deportivo adds that, even with Raphinha’s scoring output in the background, Yamal’s production is already among the best of his career: he’s enjoying his best early scoring run. In context, the outlet notes that last season he had only two goals in those first seven matches and had less involvement due to pubalgia (groin pain). Before that, he recorded three and zero goals in the same stretch.

On top of his league form, he delivered in Europe: in his Champions League debut vs Feyenoord, he scored once and provided two assists, according to the same source.

Next, he’ll try to carry this momentum into international duty. Mundo Deportivo points out that, after a bittersweet feel from the World Cup, he’ll be Spain’s main threat in the Nations League against England, Croatia and Czech Republic.