‘We didn't see his best’ - Lewandowski reveals reason for Yamal's poor form at World Cup

Yamal arrived at the World Cup on the back of a hamstring injury that had kept him out of action for the final stretch of Barcelona's season. 

Spain's manager, Luis de la Fuente, carefully managed the 19-year-old's playing time, particularly in the early stages of the tournament.

Despite the cautious approach, Yamal featured in eight matches, accumulating 616 minutes on the pitch, contributing one goal and leading the tournament with an impressive 35 successful dribbles for Spain.

Speaking to ESPN, Lewandowski, who played alongside Yamal at Barcelona, offered his analysis of the winger's performance. 

When asked if fans saw the best version of Yamal, the veteran striker was candid. "Honestly, no, we didn't see his best this tournament," Lewandowski stated. 

"The best performance, the best Lamine for me, of course, wasn't last season, but two seasons ago. That was, for me, the best version of Lamine Yamal."

He elaborated on the challenges the young star faced: "He's still young, he came to the World Cup after an injury and he didn't play for like eight weeks. 

“It's tough if you don't play for eight weeks and you have to start playing in the World Cup. You don't have time for training, just from game to game. 

“But he showed really good quality. The Spain players and the team helped Lamine, and Lamine also helped the whole team. I think that this cooperation was perfect."

After a summer break, Yamal will turn his attention to regaining full fitness for the upcoming season with Barcelona.