According to TuttoMercatoWeb, former Barcelona goalkeeper Pena recalled that when Yamal joined the first team at age 15, he showed extraordinary talent from day one. Pena stated that Yamal joined a group of promising young players, but the atmosphere he brought was completely different from when Pena himself first joined the first team. The goalkeeper recalled: "Yamal surprised us because he was different from everyone else."
Yamal quickly demonstrated strong confidence, constantly attempting to nutmeg experienced teammates like Alba and Roberto. Pena recalled: "He wanted to show off his skills in front of anyone." In his view, the teenage Yamal often seemed more like a seasoned player than a rookie. Pena particularly admired Yamal's technical ability and his composure when making decisions in tight spaces—qualities that were clearly above average from the start.
Despite his young age, Yamal displayed a personality that assumed responsibility for the entire team from the beginning. Pena emphasized: "At 17, he already had the charisma to lead the whole team." He described the Barcelona prodigy's qualities as "almost inhuman." The combination of confidence in his own abilities, outstanding talent, and a mature mindset allowed Yamal to gradually establish himself in Barcelona's attack, becoming one of the team's key players.