Former Real Madrid manager Fabio Capello has drawn an interesting comparison between Juventus youngster Kenan Yildiz and Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal, describing the Turkish international as Italy’s equivalent of the Spanish teenager.
Capello made the remarks during the Bulgarelli Number 8 award ceremony in Bologna, where Yildiz received recognition as the best player of the 2025/26 season.
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The veteran Italian coach praised the Juventus forward’s creativity and ability to produce moments that make football entertaining.
Speaking during the award ceremony (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Capello was particularly impressed by Yildiz’s imagination and ability to produce unexpected moments on the pitch.
“He’s the Yamal of Italy,” Capello said of the Juventus talent.
Lamine Yamal is currently one of the best players in the world. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
He expanded on his admiration for the 21-year-old, highlighting the importance of creative football in an increasingly structured modern game.
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“He shows you things you’d never imagine: it’s wonderful to see football that isn’t boring,” he said.
“We’ve robbed the players of their imagination, but he’s got it: let’s give the young players their imagination back; Kenan will entertain us – he’s the Yamal of Italy,” concluded the 80-year-old manager.
Despite Capello’s comparison, the two players produced different attacking numbers during the 2025/26 campaign.
Yamal finished the season with 24 goals and 18 assists in 45 appearances across competitions, playing a decisive role in Barcelona’s La Liga and Spanish Super Cup successes.
Capello has compared Kenan Yildiz to Lamine Yamal. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images)
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Yildiz, meanwhile, recorded 11 goals and 10 assists in 47 appearances for Juventus in all competitions.
The difference clearly shows Yamal’s greater attacking output, although it is crucial to understand that their responsibilities and tactical roles are not identical.
Yildiz has frequently operated as an attacking midfielder or winger, while Yamal has become one of Barcelona’s primary creative and goalscoring outlets.
The reason why we took last season’s tally to compare the two is because Yildiz is currently recovering from a fractured fifth metatarsal, which required surgery on August 31. The Juventus youngster is expected to return in December.
