Poland captain Robert Lewandowski believes the football world has not yet witnessed Lamine Yamal at his very best during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Although the Barcelona wonderkid played a key role in helping Spain lift the World Cup trophy, Lewandowski said the young winger was still performing below his peak level as he had only recently recovered from injury.
Yamal was one of the standout figures in La Roja’s successful 2026 World Cup campaign, which concluded with a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final.
However, before the tournament began, the 19-year-old winger was sidelined with a hamstring injury, which also forced him to miss the closing stages of Barcelona’s LaLiga season.
Throughout the World Cup, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente carefully managed Yamal’s playing time.
Even so, he featured in eight matches, scored one goal, and finished the tournament as the player with the most successful dribbles, recording 35.
Lewandowski, who plays alongside Yamal at Barcelona, admitted he was impressed by the teenager’s contribution.
However, he believes Yamal has yet to reach his full potential.
“Honestly, no, we haven’t seen the best version of him in this tournament. For me, Lamine’s best performances were not last season, but the season before. That was the best version of Lamine Yamal,” Lewandowski said, as quoted by ESPN.
The 37-year-old striker explained that Yamal had not yet fully regained his physical condition after spending a lengthy period on the sidelines.
“He’s still very young. He came into the World Cup after an injury and hadn’t played for about eight weeks. That kind of situation is always difficult because he went straight into the World Cup without having enough time to rebuild his fitness through training,” he said.
Despite that, Lewandowski praised Yamal’s ability to adapt.
“He still showed incredible quality. The Spanish players helped Lamine, and Lamine also helped the entire team. Their teamwork was excellent,” he added.
Backing Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Although Poland failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Lewandowski admitted he supported Spain in the final.
His reason was straightforward: he shares a close bond with many members of La Roja, having played alongside them at Barcelona, including Pedri, Gavi, Pau Cubarsí, Ferran Torres, and Lamine Yamal.
“I know many of the Spanish players because I’ve spent a lot of time with them at Barcelona. Of course I supported them. From Argentina, I only know Leo Messi, and he has already won a World Cup before. That’s why I chose to support Spain,” Lewandowski said.
He also expressed confidence that the future of the Spanish national team is exceptionally bright, given the abundance of talented young players in the squad.
“I’m happy because I know they’re ready to become world champions. They’re still very young, and they have a very long future ahead of them,” he concluded.***
