Lamine Yamal talks Messi comparisons, idolising Neymar – ‘I try to always be myself’ | OneFootball

Despite having his whole career ahead of him, Lamine Yamal’s impact on the football world already surpasses that of many seasoned stars.

Following his impressive exploits with Barcelona, Yamal enjoyed a generational campaign with Spain in the UEFA Euro 2024, where he helped lead La Roja ultimately clinch the trophy.

Owing to his impressive strides, Yamal has been nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or by France Football, which featured him on its September cover.

In his interview (h/t Mundo Deportivo), he reflected on his journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of football’s top talents.

On his childhood fascination for football

Lamine Yamal shared how he was always attached to his football, even bringing it to school and hiding it from the teacher.

“I always had my ball with me. I remember I would carry it in a bag to school and I would kick it around until I got to class.

“When I got to class I would hide it in my backpack because the teacher wouldn’t let me leave it on the table. I’ve always had a ball with me,” he said.

Interestingly, the 17-year-old joked about practicing with dogs because his father told him they would not bite, and he gained skills from playing against them.

“I used to play with them a lot because my father said they wouldn’t bite me and that he acquired a great skill because “playing against a dog is the hardest thing you can do,” he expressed.

On being a street-smart footballer

Although Yamal is an incredibly refined player, his play style draws many similarities with Brazilian forwards, characterized by flair and a fearless approach to taking on defenders.

Yamal testified that “playing on the street took away my fear of playing against bigger people.”

A star at just 17 years old. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Lamine Yamal explained that playing against older, stronger opponents when he was just a child helped him boost his confidence.

“In the end, I always played with my friends and the opposing teams were 20 years old and I was 11 or 12.

“So that took away a lot of my fear and allowed me to enjoy and play against anyone. All this makes you grow even if you think it doesn’t help you.

“It always helps you because when you see someone bigger than you, you know how to go for him and dribble past him so that he can’t hit you,” he remarked.

At the same time, he also credited La Masia for shaping his understanding of the game and instilling a more team-oriented approach.

“When I came from La Torreta, it’s true that I had that one-on-one, that verticality and everything, but I didn’t have control over myself.

“Knowing when to play fast or when to play slow, being able to play as a team… all those things that in the end you do at Barça, which is the club that best knows how to use its players for that,” the teenage sensation exclaimed.

On breaking into the first team

Lamine Yamal recalled feeling shy on his first day in the Barça dressing room, surrounded by stars like Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique, and Miralem Pjanic. However, he soon gained confidence and fully enjoyed his debut.

“I was embarrassed to go into the dressing room because there was Jordi (Alba), Piqué… there was Pjanic,” he commented.

Moreover, the Spaniard emphasized that his main goal is to leave a lasting legacy. While being compared to the legendary Lionel Messi is a sign of his progress, he does not let it affect him. Instead, he focuses on being true to himself.

“For me, the most important thing is to leave a legacy, to have your career. In the end, being compared to Leo is more important than not looking at it.”

“It is true that if you are compared to the best player in history it is because you are doing things well. It doesn’t bother me, obviously, but I try to always be myself,” he mentioned.

On idolizing Neymar

Yamal’s admiration for former Barcelona winger Neymar jr is an open secret by now, with the youngster never letting a chance to praise him go to waste.

In fact, Yamal recalled how Neymar at Santos and Messi, Villa, and Pedro at Barça were his earliest football inspirations. After school, he and his friends would watch Neymar videos for hours.

“At that moment I remember that Neymar was at Santos, Messi obviously… Messi, Villa, Pedro… All from Barça. Those are the first images that made me see football.

“Since I was little, with my father and my mother at home, that’s the first thing I remember. We would meet after school at a friend’s house because he had a computer and we would put on videos of Neymar.

“We would spend the whole afternoon watching there. Then I would go to sleep at my house and I would watch it at home, in my room,” he reminisced.