Lamine Yamal talks origins, Barcelona, Euro, World Cup, Ballon d’Or: ‘There will be a time when there’s no debate’

Barcelona and Spain's young football prodigy Lamine Yamal, just 19 years old, has already won the Euro 2024 and the 2026 FIFA World Cup while lifting multiple La Liga titles with his club. His impressive performances have put him in the running for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, following his second-place finish last year behind Ousmane Dembele. When asked about his chances of winning the prestigious award, Yamal confidently said, "There will be a time when there's no debate."

Despite his success, Yamal insists that he is still hungry and motivated to add more silverware to his cabinet. He explained that after experiencing the highs of winning the World Cup and Euro, he knew that there was still much more to achieve: "At the Euros I didn't even know who I was, where I was, the significance of it all. I could sit an exam and the next day play France because I wasn't really conscious of the difference.

I won it and said: 'Well, that's good, but a World Cup is better, no?' Now I know what a Euros means. I know what a World Cup is, although I think you truly realise when you go to the next one and lose."

Yamal's journey from his humble beginnings in a barrio to playing for Barcelona and representing Spain on the international stage has been remarkable. He attributes his maturity and focus to his upbringing and the foundation he received at La Masia, Barcelona's renowned youth academy. He emphasized that while football is a major part of his life, it is not the only thing that matters to him. "Football is 0.000001% of life," he stated. "I have to look after my family, my little brother."