"Puts you in the conversation for the top five players" - Pedro explains why Barcelona star is 'most complete' player in the world in his position

Former Barcelona star Pedro believes scoring 30 goals in a season is what puts a player in the conversation for the top five in the world. The 37-year-old opined that Lamine Yamal is the most complete winger in the world at the moment.

As highlighted by SPORT, Pedro lauded the Spanish sensation in a recent interview, saying (via Sempre Barca):

"The most complete winger in the world. He has outstanding vision and decision-making when it comes to passing, and beyond that, he’s got everything—1v1 skills, the ability to play inside, he can operate on either flank or through the middle, and he’s a great assist provider."

He added:

"The hardest thing for a great winger is to score goals like Lamine or Salah do. I played with Hazard and Henry, and they had that same quality. Scoring 30 goals a season is what puts you in the conversation for the top five players in the world."

Lamine Yamal has wowed football fans with his attacking proficiency in recent times. As a winger, his ability to advance with the ball and to take on and dribble past defenders has been remarkable.

However, what sets him apart from a traditional winger is his ability to deliver goals and assist in attack. Yamal scored 18 goals and provided 25 assists in 55 games for Barcelona last season.

Lamine Yamal's brilliance was also the deciding factor in a good number of La Blaugrana games, which helped them clinch a domestic treble. At age 17, his display has given him more prominence in the footballing world, and he's now a vital Ballon d’Or contender.

"Lamine is a phenomenon" - Barcelona's sporting director, Deco

Deportivo Alaves v FC Barcelona - LaLiga EA Sports - Source: Getty

Deco believes Lamine Yamal is a phenomenal football player. However, he suggested that becoming the best player in the world will depend on the Spanish teenage sensation.

Speaking extensively about Yamal in a recent interview, Deco said (via Barca Universal on X):

"Lamine is a phenomenon, a true phenomenon. Becoming the best in the world depends on him. He will stay at Barcelona in the coming years, competing with Real Madrid for titles, and he is in the best place to compete, the best place."

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Yamal is an important player in Barcelona's starting XI and remains contracted at the Camp Nou till June 2031. However, his consistency would determine if he would surpass Lionel Messi's achievements for Barca. The Argentine legend scored 672 goals and provided 303 assists in 778 games for the Catalans between 2004 and 2021.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Parag Jain