Spanish-Moroccan prodigy Lamine Yamal feels Hakimi’s jab after PSG victory, with Mendes starring

Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi enjoyed the last laugh over Spanish-Moroccan wonderkid Lamine Yamal after Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League win against Barcelona.

The right-back highlighted teammate Nuno Mendes’ dominance on Yamal’s flank, capping it off with a subtle social media swipe following the final whistle.

Yamal, who was born in Spain to a Moroccan father and Equatorial Guinean mother, had stirred the contest with a provocative Instagram post before the match, writing: “I’m back, and the mission is back.”

Hakimi, asked about the teenager on the eve of the tie, warned that Mendes was “the best left-back in the world” and more than capable of shutting down the Barcelona winger.

His words proved prophetic. Mendes kept the 18-year-old quiet as PSG earned a 2-1 away win, sealed by Gonçalo Ramos’ late strike.

After the match, Yamal deleted his post, while Hakimi responded by sharing a photo of Mendes with his man-of-the-match award accompanied by a cryptic “silence” emoji.

Hakimi had also said pre-match: “We will try to help Nuno Mendes not to find himself one on one against Lamine because we know his capabilities in this area.”

That plan worked to perfection, leaving Barcelona’s brightest star visibly frustrated on the night.

Yamal finishes 2nd in Ballon d’Or

The week compounded Yamal’s frustration as the Barcelona starlet missed out on the Ballon d’Or to a Paris Saint-Germain player.

At the Théâtre du Châtelet on September 22, the 18-year-old finished second in the 2025 rankings, narrowly behind Ousmane Dembélé.

Yamal’s dazzling season—driving Barça to a domestic treble and guiding Spain to the UEFA Nations League final—was not enough to outshine Dembélé, whose Champions League triumph with PSG ultimately swung the vote.

For Yamal, the defeat to PSG on the pitch and the personal snub to a PSG rival off it added to a sobering week.

Still, improving from last year’s eighth-place finish to second at just 18 marks a remarkable ascent, cementing him as one of world football’s brightest prospects.

Teammate Raphinha also secured fifth place in the standings, underscoring Barcelona’s strong representation despite the Parisian dominance.