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New Barcelona coach Hansi Flick on Thursday praised the remarkable performance of teenage winger Lamine Yamal at Euro 2024, calling it “unbelievable.”
Yamal made history in Spain’s opening game against Croatia by becoming the youngest player ever to appear in a European Championship game at the age of 16 years and 338 days. He further etched his name in the record books by becoming the youngest player ever to score at the Euros during Spain’s 2-1 semi-final win against France, at 16 years and 362 days.
Spain secured their fourth European Championship title by defeating England 2-1 in the final on July 14, just a day after Yamal’s 17th birthday.
“He has done a really great job in the last year; he has improved a lot. What he did in the Euro is unbelievable,” Flick said at a news conference during his official unveiling as Barcelona’s new coach. “But great players maintain their performance, and now it is necessary for him to keep his feet on the ground.”
Flick, appointed on a two-year contract in May after the dismissal of Xavi Hernandez, emphasized the importance of Yamal’s continued development. “I think he is a great guy. I spoke with him before, when I arrived, and he is now in this team. Of course, he gives us great moments, but he can improve and make things better. He is on a really fantastic path.”
Flick has been tasked with rejuvenating Barcelona following a trophy-less season. He aims to instill a philosophy of attractive, attacking football at the club. “What I want to see is that we are playing really good football, attacking football, and that everyone can see that this team really gives a lot for this club. I think this is crucial.”
Known for leading Bayern Munich to a historic sextuple of trophies in 2020, Flick became the first coach ever to be sacked by the German national team in September 2023 after a series of poor results. He now faces the challenge of restoring Barcelona to their former glory. “You can only win with the biggest clubs, which is why I am here. I am not saying that I will win every title like that, but if we work hard, we can achieve this,” Flick concluded.
