Yamal joined Barcelona at just seven years old, arriving from local club CF La Torreta. He did not move into La Masia until he was 12, but when he did, he became an exception among the academy’s young residents.
“There wasn’t any boy of his age,” Martín explained in the 3Cat documentary Revolució 304, describing Yamal as the only player living at La Masia whose parents also lived in Catalonia.
The decision was not based solely on his footballing ability. Martín said the club considered the circumstances of Yamal’s family life and whether he was ready for the demands of living away from home.
“Obviously, his family and living circumstances influenced the decision we made for him to join La Masia,” Martín said. “Things related to his habits, such as nutrition, doing homework, going to training and going to bed early, were key to making the decision.”
Martín also recalled a maturity that stood out in a child of Yamal’s age. The former academy director described him as responsible and grateful, qualities that helped convince Barcelona he could handle the arrangement.
“He was a mature, responsible and grateful child for his age,” Martín said.
The former director added that Yamal had never caused trouble during his time at the academy, while joking that the youngster might simply have been clever enough to avoid getting caught.
“I don’t think we ever found out that he had done anything wrong, although I think he’s a very smart kid and, if he had, we probably wouldn’t have noticed,” Martín said.
He drew a parallel between that intelligence and the forward’s play on the pitch, where Yamal can produce moments that others do not anticipate.
For Martín, the transformation from promising academy youngster into a player capable of influencing major matches has echoes of another Barcelona great.
“It’s something that already happened with Leo Messi,” he said.
Yamal’s development has accelerated dramatically since his senior debut in April 2023. His performances have since made him one of Barcelona’s central attacking figures, but Martín’s account offers a reminder that the club’s investment in him began when he was still a primary-school pupil.