Yamal Boasts More Wins, Mbappe More Goals

Lamine Yamal is still only 19 years old, yet he has already faced Kylian Mbappe 11 times, with many more showdowns still to come. That is how Catalan daily Sport opens its preview ahead of Sunday night's eagerly awaited El Clasico:

"They are the figureheads of Barcelona and Real Madrid, and they are set to cross paths twice in quick succession — first on Sunday night at the Camp Nou, and then on Monday in London at the Ballon d'Or gala.

The Rocafonda-born prodigy already holds a clear psychological edge over Kylian Mbappe, with the head-to-head record speaking for itself: 9 wins to 2 in Yamal's favour.

The upcoming Clasico looks promising for the Blaugrana if Hansi Flick's men can sustain their scintillating league form. Meanwhile, the Frenchman has been losing ground in the race for last season's top individual prize after failing to lift a trophy with either Real Madrid or France.

All indicators suggest Yamal's main competitor for the Ballon d'Or is currently England striker Harry Kane.

Yamal heads into El Clasico on the back of the finest start to a season in his Barcelona career: 10 goals and 10 assists. Those 20 direct goal involvements only underline the growing feeling that he is currently the best player in world football, with his entire career still ahead of him.

Mbappe knows it, too. Although in his prime at 27, the Frenchman is well aware that chances to surpass the player who has emerged as his primary individual rival will not last forever.

That is precisely why this El Clasico carries so much weight for Mbappe.

Not because of the Ballon d'Or — voting closed several days ago ahead of Monday's ceremony — but for his own pride and the urge to show he remains at the absolute summit.

The Frenchman relies heavily on his goal tally and has scored just two more than Yamal this term — 12 to 10. Unlike the Spanish starlet, however, Mbappe has supplied only three assists.

The pair first met on the pitch during the 2023/24 Champions League campaign, back when Mbappe was still plying his trade for Paris Saint-Germain.

Barcelona edged the first leg 3-2 at the Parc des Princes, but the Parisian side struck back with a comprehensive 4-1 victory in the return fixture, with Mbappe netting a brace.

Yamal has registered six goals in their direct meetings, while the Frenchman has struck nine times in fixtures against the La Masia graduate.

Mbappe's other head-to-head triumph arrived in last season's La Liga Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Every other encounter has gone the way of the Rocafonda talent — whether in club football's biggest fixture or on the international stage between Spain and France.

Their last international clash came in the World Cup semi-finals. Both started in a 2-0 victory for Luis de la Fuente's Spain, though neither found the back of the net.

The same happened in their most recent on-pitch Clasico meeting — the Spanish Super Cup final, won 3-2 by Flick's side.

Curiously, both Yamal and Mbappe missed May's Clasico at the Camp Nou through injury, when Barcelona ran out 2-0 winners to virtually put the La Liga title race to bed.

As a result, the two have never faced each other in an El Clasico at the Camp Nou.

Sunday's blockbuster will be their first," concludes the analysis in Sport.