Lamine Yamal Reflects on Golden Ball Loss and Aspires for World Cup Glory

Lamine Yamal, the rising star of FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team, recently opened up about his personal growth, his perspective on the Ballon d’Or award, and his ambitions ahead of the upcoming World Cup.

In an interview highlighted by the Spanish newspaper “Mundo Deportivo,” Yamal shared that he entered the Ballon d’Or ceremony believing he could win, stating, “Honestly, I thought I would win it.” However, he displayed remarkable maturity in his assessment, adding, “I think Ousmane Dembélé winning was better for me; maybe it wasn’t my time yet.”.

The young player emphasized his strong relationship with Dembélé, noting that this experience has helped him grow mentally and cope with pressure better, especially during challenging times.

Yamal also reflected on his participation in the UEFA Euro 2024, which Spain won, recalling that he was just sixteen years old at the time. He remarked, “I was a kid and felt nervous, but I learned to be calmer because tournaments are decided with patience.”.

Touching on aspects of his personal life, Yamal expressed enjoyment from a period he spent in Paris where he lived a normal life away from the spotlight. He mentioned, “Living normally among people gives me great energy.”.

He shared a humorous incident where he introduced himself to a group of tourists as “Ryan,” which is also the name he uses on his TikTok account.

When discussing role models in football, Yamal expressed his admiration for Brazilian star Neymar, calling him “my idol.”.

Regarding the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, he acknowledged its usefulness but noted that it sometimes disrupts the flow of the game. He added, “Stopping the match for several minutes is excessive.”.

Yamal concluded his remarks with an ambitious message ahead of the World Cup. He expressed great excitement and promised fans that if Spain wins the title, he would grow out his beard and mustache for three weeks and give away 100 headsets to his followers.