In Barcelona's dressing room, young players are treated in different ways: some are given advice, some are closely protected, and others are simply helped to keep their rhythm. Frenkie de Jong belongs to the third type. In a candid conversation, the midfielder explains why the key to Lamine Yamal's progress is not bans or overprotection but freedom and the right working focus.
"His Life — His Choice": Where a Teammate's Role Ends
— How do you manage a player like Lamine Yamal?
— "Manage" is not the right word. Every player has a right to his own life. Lamine can do what he thinks is necessary off the pitch. I'm not the person to tell him where to have lunch or how to spend his evening. My responsibility is to help him become better at football.
— So you separate the personal from the professional?
— Yes. Balance matters, but imposing rules is a dead end. A footballer matures faster when he feels trust rather than constant control.
Training and Matches — The Main Reference Point
— What do you value in Yamal's daily work?
— His focus. When he comes to training, he does exactly what the team needs: he makes decisions quickly, moves aggressively off the ball, and isn't afraid to take the game on himself. In matches he shows the same bravery: he doesn't hide and — importantly — he listens to his teammates.
— Do you see a steady upward trend in his development?
— Definitely. If he keeps working at the same pace while maintaining quality in training and in games, everything else is secondary. The result shows here, on the pitch.
"Help — Not Guardianship": The Role of Veterans in the Dressing Room
— What does it mean to "help on the pitch" in your view?
— Guiding him in the small things: when to accelerate, where to position himself between the lines, how to close the diagonal in defense. Sometimes it's a single word before a cross, sometimes a gesture at the start of the press. Experienced players are there to make young players' decisions easier, not to complicate their lives.
— And this approach works?
— Yes, when help doesn't turn into oppressive guardianship. A young player should feel support but remain independent in his choices.
Freedom as Part of Responsibility
— Is giving a young player freedom a risk?
— Freedom and responsibility are interconnected. You're free in your decisions, but you're responsible for the consequences. We all understand that. In professional sport you're judged by your quality of play, discipline in training, and impact on the team. Lamine is in a good place with all of that.
— Doesn't what he does off the pitch worry you?
— As long as he maintains his level of preparation and commitment, it doesn't concern me. I'll repeat the single criterion: how he trains and how he plays. Right now he's fine in those respects.
Bottom Line: Focus on Execution
— What do you wish Yamal in the near term?
— To keep a clear head, enjoy the game, and turn working the right way every day into a habit. In that mode, progress is inevitable, and outside chatter fades into the background.
— And your personal principle regarding younger teammates?
— Respect their choices and help where I can truly make an impact — in the training process and on the pitch. The rest — the path and the experience — belongs to them.
