The national derby turned troublesome because of words! Can Yamal learn this essential superstar lesson?

Written by Han Bing The national derby is over, yet Yamal continues to dominate media and public discourse. The widespread comment is that although he is legally an adult, he is still immature—his indiscreet pre-match remarks accusing Real Madrid of "stealing," "cheating," and "playing dirty" prolonged the verbal war between Real Madrid and Barça into the post-game period, leading to extensive conflicts after the match. His poor performance in this game subjected the Spanish prodigy to even harsher public criticism. This heavy lesson on the path to becoming a superstar—how much of it has Yamal truly absorbed?

A column in Spain’s Mundo Deportivo reminds Yamal: before becoming a true superstar, he must first learn to be cautious with his words and actions. Yamal himself can accept the defeat in the national derby, but clearly, his inappropriate pre-match comments contradicted his team’s intention to build a bold persona. As Marca claims, some Real Madrid players said Yamal’s "reckless talk" was the best motivation for them before the match.

Yamal, who attacked Real Madrid before the game, had 2 shots with none on target, lost possession 21 times, and was completely contained by Real Madrid defender Carreras. The post-match conflict started when Carvajal confronted Yamal about his inappropriate remarks before the game, causing both teams’ players to lose control. Naturally, Yamal, whose bold words fell flat, became the center of media attention and was surrounded by criticism across news outlets and social media platforms.

Mundo Deportivo also offers another perspective: they believe Yamal just turned 18 in July, so his pre-match attacks on Real Madrid are not that significant, and even Real Madrid coach Alonso was indifferent. The real issue is whether Yamal should repeatedly take center stage in off-field "verbal battles," provoking and adopting a confrontational stance that puts him under intense media and public scrutiny.

“The crown placed on Yamal by his team is too heavy and has hindered his normal development. He arrogantly flaunts his talent publicly while being pushed forward to bear responsibilities in media battles that he should not have to face.” Everyone hopes he will become Barça’s next Messi, but the 18-year-old Messi had multiple protectors like Puyol, Ronaldinho, and Rijkaard behind the scenes. In contrast, young Yamal is deliberately pushed into the spotlight by powerful forces and seems to enjoy it himself.

Madrid’s Marca emphasizes that Barça’s top management communicates weekly with Yamal’s agent Mendes, especially stressing the need to avoid overexposure of private matters. However, Yamal does not see himself as making mistakes; he is used to being the media focus and enjoys it—this is seen as a lifestyle typical for someone his age. Naturally, there are differing opinions within the club, but currently, Barça’s locker room power structure only continues to indulge the highest-valued and highest-paid rising star. Catalonia’s El Nacional reveals that Rashford, De Jong, and Pedri all think Yamal’s pre-match "brash words" were inappropriate. After all, last year Yamal spoke about "quietly strategizing and then confronting opponents," which contradicts his current outspoken attitude, highlighting the undercurrents behind him.

The UK’s Athletic sharply points out: Yamal’s youthful arrogance stems from an imbalanced power structure in Barça’s locker room. During the Messi era, the experience and status of players like Piqué made them the natural leaders for pre-match "media battles." Clearly, Barça now lacks veteran homegrown players to lead; the longest-serving goalkeeper Ter Stegen (Germany), second captain Araújo (Uruguay), and third captain De Jong (Netherlands) are all foreign players, which fails to command full respect.

Young Yamal is already "untouchable" in Barça’s first team, which is obviously not good for his growth. Coupled with his proud agent Mendes and an even more flamboyant father, their indulgence has led to Yamal’s passive position in the media storm before and after the national derby. More importantly, does Yamal truly have the "big heart" to remain unaffected psychologically by all this?

After this episode, the Spanish prodigy should start understanding the "rules" of the football world: talent alone is not enough; one must also learn to be careful with words and actions. Every word from a star is amplified by media and public opinion, instantly becoming a spotlight—these words are a double-edged sword: they can be used to showcase talent during success or become weapons of criticism during failure. “The best response is on the pitch” remains an unbreakable truth.