Lamine Yamal is off to another season with huge pressure on him, but the Barcelona star has shown a capacity to embrace it as inspiration. Having finished the Ballon d’Or with a colossal second-place vote at the tender age of 18, Yamal is still aware of the day when he will eventually be capable of winning the award himself, while doing his best to help Barcelona win big trophies along the way.
Last year’s ceremony was motivating and, according to Yamal, finishing second was not a disappointment; it was an achievement. He thinks his ability to play the game is his greatest asset, and he wants the Ballon d’Or to be awarded to players who add a new dimension to football. He also noted Spain’s World Cup victory as a key component to his argument.
But the teen’s goal goes beyond an individual award. Yamal says that he wants to be a part of history and be remembered for greatness in football. Barcelona forward’s mindset is easy to follow: If he has won once, he must do more to win more, and he has already envisioned that he would leave a legacy.
In addition, Yamal also discussed the value of remaining grounded in spite of his surroundings. He stated his age and said he tried to lead a normal life away from football, and said he trains. However, with experience, dealing with rumours is now easier, he said, and urged them to ignore the noise around them.
Yamal has pointed to the close relationship that exists at Barcelona between the club’s youth and seniors, especially Raphinha. He also “recognised” the new players Joao Cancelo, Gabriel, Karim Adeyemi, Anthony Gordon and Rodri as they are “fast becoming part of the team”.
In the future, Yamal is interested in enhancing his skills, particularly in terms of his performance with the ball and scoring goals. But most of all, he is hoping to put Barcelona beyond the slum of many recent disappointments in their Champions League campaign. Yamal’s ambition has been made clear; however, as the club looks towards another deep European run, it looks like Barcelona would like to get to the final in Madrid and finally hold the cup.
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