📂 Categoría: Football,La Liga | 📅 Fecha: 1777303401
🔍 En este artículo:
talkSPORT’s Andy Brassell doubts Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham will enjoy careers at the top as long as Cristiano Ronaldo.
Yamal, who joined Barcelona’s academy aged seven has experienced a rapid rise to stardom having begun training with the first team at 15.
The Spain international made his professional debut at 15, becoming the Catalan club’s youngest player since 1922.
Since the 2023/24 season, the 18-year-old has become a first-team regular, setting records as the youngest starter, assist provider, and goalscorer in LaLiga history.
Additionally, he became the youngest player to appear in a European Championship final – a tournament where Spain defeated England 2-1 and Yamal was named ‘Young Player of the Tournament’.
Similarly, Jude Bellingham joined Birmingham City’s academy at age seven and made his professional debut at 16 years old.
He made such an impact that the club retired his no.22 shirt when he joined Borussia Dortmund in 2020.
At the German club, he became the youngest English player to start a Champions League match and, by age 19, Bellingham had captained the side on several occasions.
Bellingham made a blockbuster €100million (£87million) move to Real Madrid in 2023 and was gifted the iconic no.5 shirt.
In his first season won both LaLiga and the Champions League, and was Real Madrid’s top scorer, while also winning the Spanish top flight’s Player of the Season award.
The burnout concern
However, European football expert Andy Brassell expressed concerned that these young stars might not sustain their levels until their mid-30s, like Ronaldo has.
He said on Trans Europe Express: “I just wonder if we’re entering a generation of players who are going to peak and finish early.
“At this point in time, it’s quite difficult for me to imagine Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham, who are a few years apart but still a part of the same generation, playing up to the ages of 38 or 39.”
There is a genuine risk of a burnout effect. Yamal has already reached over 150 appearances for his club at just 18 years old, adding significant mileage on his body.
Meanwhile, Bellingham has been restricted to only 18 league starts this season for Los Blancos due to a shoulder injury early in the campaign and a recent thigh problem.
Former Spain manager Javier Clemente has been noted for not seeing Yamal going far in his career.
He has been noted for saying: “As a player, he’s very talented, but the problem is that if he doesn’t behave properly in his personal life, his career won’t last.
“He does brilliant things on the pitch, but his opponents already know how he plays.
“They know he’s one of those players you simply can’t give space to, because he’s got so much quality that he’s capable of anything. He’ll be tightly marked and closely watched.”
In contrast, Ronaldo first appeared for Sporting’s first team at 17.
While he also broke through young, the demands of the modern game differ drastically from those of the early 2000s, with contemporary football requiring far more high-intensity sprinting and presenting.
Furthermore, modern stars face immense pressure from constant comparisons to Messi and Ronaldo, which can take a mental toll.
At 41 years old, Ronaldo continues to feature in the Saudi Pro League, where he earns an estimated €200million (£173m) per year and has finished as the league’s top scorer for the last two consecutive seasons.
talkSPORT’s Andy Brassell doubts Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham will enjoy careers at the top as long as Cristiano Ronaldo.
Yamal, who joined Barcelona’s academy aged seven has experienced a rapid rise to stardom having begun training with the first team at 15.
The Spain international made his professional debut at 15, becoming the Catalan club’s youngest player since 1922.
Since the 2023/24 season, the 18-year-old has become a first-team regular, setting records as the youngest starter, assist provider, and goalscorer in LaLiga history.
Additionally, he became the youngest player to appear in a European Championship final – a tournament where Spain defeated England 2-1 and Yamal was named ‘Young Player of the Tournament’.
Similarly, Jude Bellingham joined Birmingham City’s academy at age seven and made his professional debut at 16 years old.
He made such an impact that the club retired his no.22 shirt when he joined Borussia Dortmund in 2020.
At the German club, he became the youngest English player to start a Champions League match and, by age 19, Bellingham had captained the side on several occasions.
Bellingham made a blockbuster €100million (£87million) move to Real Madrid in 2023 and was gifted the iconic no.5 shirt.
In his first season won both LaLiga and the Champions League, and was Real Madrid’s top scorer, while also winning the Spanish top flight’s Player of the Season award.
The burnout concern
However, European football expert Andy Brassell expressed concerned that these young stars might not sustain their levels until their mid-30s, like Ronaldo has.
He said on Trans Europe Express: “I just wonder if we’re entering a generation of players who are going to peak and finish early.
“At this point in time, it’s quite difficult for me to imagine Lamine Yamal and Jude Bellingham, who are a few years apart but still a part of the same generation, playing up to the ages of 38 or 39.”
There is a genuine risk of a burnout effect. Yamal has already reached over 150 appearances for his club at just 18 years old, adding significant mileage on his body.
Meanwhile, Bellingham has been restricted to only 18 league starts this season for Los Blancos due to a shoulder injury early in the campaign and a recent thigh problem.
Former Spain manager Javier Clemente has been noted for not seeing Yamal going far in his career.
He has been noted for saying: “As a player, he’s very talented, but the problem is that if he doesn’t behave properly in his personal life, his career won’t last.
“He does brilliant things on the pitch, but his opponents already know how he plays.
“They know he’s one of those players you simply can’t give space to, because he’s got so much quality that he’s capable of anything. He’ll be tightly marked and closely watched.”
In contrast, Ronaldo first appeared for Sporting’s first team at 17.
While he also broke through young, the demands of the modern game differ drastically from those of the early 2000s, with contemporary football requiring far more high-intensity sprinting and presenting.
Furthermore, modern stars face immense pressure from constant comparisons to Messi and Ronaldo, which can take a mental toll.
At 41 years old, Ronaldo continues to feature in the Saudi Pro League, where he earns an estimated €200million (£173m) per year and has finished as the league’s top scorer for the last two consecutive seasons.
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📚 Información de la Fuente
| 📰 Publicación: | talksport.com |
| ✍️ Autor: | Amy Hamerslagh |
| 📅 Fecha Original: | 2026-04-27 15:12:00 |
| 🔗 Enlace: | Ver artículo original |
Nota de transparencia: Este artículo ha sido traducido y adaptado del inglés al español para facilitar su comprensión. El contenido se mantiene fiel a la fuente original, disponible en el enlace proporcionado arriba.
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