Real Madrid legend in awe of Barcelona prodigy – ‘Never seen anything like it at that age’ | OneFootball

In a recent interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t DAZN), former Real Madrid and Germany midfielder Toni Kroos gave his thoughts on the rise of Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal.

Kroos retired from professional football a year ago after an exceptional career with Real Madrid and the German national team.

Kroos amazed by Lamine Yamal

Although he no longer takes to the pitch, Kroos’ words still carry considerable weight in the football world. And the veteran icon did not hold back in his praise for Lamine Yamal.

The two briefly shared the pitch as rivals, not only in the Clasicos but also at the UEFA Euro 2024, where Lamine proved to be a nightmare for Germany and played a key role in eliminating them from the tournament.

The Spaniard, just 16 years old at the time, was one of the stars of the tournament. Spain’s victory over Germany in the quarter-finals marked Kroos’ final match as a professional.

Lamine Yamal earning praise from Kroos. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

“I also made the Bayern first team at 17, but I wasn’t at his level, which is spectacular. I’ve never seen anything like it at that age. I’m talking about the consistency of his performances, because the natural talent is obvious,” Kroos admitted.

Continuing, he added: “What makes me think that this boy is special is his constant search for prominence on the pitch: in difficult moments, he always steps up, and at 17 years of age, that is not normal.

“He was the protagonist of two excellent seasons, the last one even spectacular; I have never seen a kid like him.”

At the same time, Kroos also reflected on the long-term challenges young stars face, as he noted:

“I always say that a career is not a sprint, but a marathon, so we will see what happens in the next 5-10 seasons, if he continues to grow and how he reacts to everything that comes into football from outside.

“Success doesn’t only depend on the pitch, it depends on what happens outside. It has a big impact, and you have to know how to handle different aspects of life.”