Jordi Cruyff spent a couple of seasons as the sporting director of FC Barcelona, working closely with then director of football Mateu Alemany and first-team coach Xavi Hernandez to help rebuild a faltering team and make them competitive.
The Dutchman was responsible for overseeing a number of arrivals during his tenure who have since gone on to become first-team stars. Under Xavi, Barcelona also saw the revival of La Masia, with many young talents making it to the first team.
Cruyff’s anecdote on Xavi and Lamine
In an interview with SPORT, Jordi Cruyff has now revealed how Alemany and he had to stop Xavi from giving Lamine Yamal his first-team debut much earlier than he actually did. He said:
“Xavi wanted to make him debut earlier. And with Mateu, we had to talk about it. That was the good part: we could always work as a team. Always together. Joint decisions, always with dialogue. We said, ‘Xavi, he’s 15 and unprotected. If he plays ten games and shows what we’re seeing, he can do… he has no contract. We’re putting him on the market without safeguarding him.”
Cruyff also pointed out how his agents – initially Ivan de la Pena and later Jorge Mendes helped in easing the Spaniard into the first team and also gave the club confidence that his future would remain here. He continued:
“Iván de la Peña did an exceptional job. He always prioritized the footballing side over everything else. With Iván, we were super calm: if he made his debut, he wouldn’t let Barça down. We knew Mendes wasn’t going to harm Barça. When we saw that everyone was at ease, we said: ‘Alright, Xavi, go ahead.’ If not, he would’ve debuted even earlier.”
The former sporting director also went on to praise Lamine Yamal and talk about the generational talent that he possesses. He said:
“He’s a kid who, as soon as he touched the ball, did special things. Now, his year-on-year improvement is a spectacle. What struck me most in that case was the invisible language of the footballers—the reaction from the veteran players. When he started doing his thing, you know? That look between the older players, like: ‘What is this?’ Because it’s not normal.”
A generational talent
Xavi did give Lamine his debut at 15, and he was already a key part of the first team at just 16, breaking all kinds of age records over the course of the next 12 months. One wonders what might have happened had he made his debut even sooner.
Cruyff’s anecdote is another example of Xavi’s mindset, which was seen throughout his coaching tenure. The Spanish tactician wasn’t afraid to throw a talent into the first team, as long as they showed they belonged there. Age was no barrier.
In the two subsequent seasons, Lamine has gone on to become one of the best in the world, and is currently €200m-rated, making him the most valuable player. The teenager recently signed a new bumper contract with Barcelona, and the future looks secure, with him donning the #10 jersey. Let’s wait and see how things play out going forward.
