‘Wasn’t trying too hard’ – Former Real Madrid midfielder takes aim at Barcelona wonderkid over NT display | OneFootball

Former Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has openly criticised Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal for his display in Spain’s match against the Netherlands.

The Dutchman expressed his concerns about the youngster’s attitude during the game, suggesting that his body language and effort on the pitch were not up to the mark.

Van der Vaart pointed out that Yamal’s approach seemed too relaxed and lacked the intensity expected from a player representing his national team.

Wasn’t trying

Van der Vaart said Lamine Yamal did not try enough. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

He implied that at such a young age, the Barcelona prodigy should be making the most of every opportunity he gets, rather than appearing complacent.

According to him, talent alone is not enough—players must prove themselves in every match, regardless of their status.

“I noticed some things that started to bother me a little bit. He wasn’t trying too hard. Pants pulled too low, not putting in much effort, slightly superficial gestures” he stated as quoted by SPORT.

“That’s when I think: if you’re so young, you should be happy for every minute you play for Spain. It doesn’t matter how good you are: at that age, you have to prove it every minute and in every game.”

Hato was superior to Yamal

Van der Vaart mentioned that Jorrel Hato was superior. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

The former Madrid player further claimed, “Nothing changes that Hato simply had him in the bag.” However, what Van der Vaart failed to mention was that Hato received a red card for a challenge on Robin Le Normand in the first leg.

This dismissal proved to be a crucial turning point, as Spain capitalised on the numerical advantage to level the match in stoppage time through Mikel Merino’s goal.

The equaliser allowed Spain to carry momentum into the second leg, where they eventually secured victory on penalties.

While Van der Vaart focused on criticising Yamal, the reality is that the teenager has already shown his quality at both club and international levels.

The pressure on him to perform is immense, but he has consistently demonstrated that he belongs at the highest level.