The thing is, though, Yamal knows he's not performed at anything like his usual level thus far - and he's not in the least bit perturbed.
"I'm very demanding of myself,"he toldMundo Deportivo. "I'm never satisfied with what I'm doing. Besides that, I just need to keep playing. I was out for almost two months, and it's not the same as when you've already played seven games in a row.
"Keep touching the ball, keep playing, keep adding minutes and, obviously, that [big] match will come. In the end, people remember these moments, from the round of 16 and the quarter-finals onwards. That's when I'm most motivated.
"I've taken this whole process calmly so I can arrive at this point in good shape. I feel great, eager to show what we are as Spain and what I am.
"I've never been the best player in the group stage. The closer the important matches get, the semi-finals or the final, the better I play."
The idea that the latter rounds of the World Cup will bring the best out of Yamal is a terrifying thought for Belgium, as well as every other team left in the tournament.
Yamal stepping up to the mark when it mattered most helped Spain win Euro 2024. History could easily repeat itself at the World Cup - especially now that it seems they've got an era-defining player in defence, too.