{
  "id": 10162179,
  "title": "I play football for fun, not Money — Yamal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/i-play-football-for-fun-not-money-yamal",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-27T07:22:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/i-play-football-for-fun-not-money-yamal/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal has revealed that his primary motivation for playing football is not money or scoring goals, but rather the sheer enjoyment of the game. In an interview with The Guardian, Yamal stated that he does not play football for financial gain, but rather because he genuinely loves the sport. He explained that the joy of football comes from being creative on the pitch and assisting his teammates. \"I don’t play football for money, I play because I like it,\" Yamal said. \"Players who are obsessed with goals or assists do not enjoy.\" The teenager also shared his experience of meeting Lionel Messi, expressing his gratitude for the Argentine star's contributions to the sport. \"I went to Leo Messi and said: thank you,\" Yamal said, noting that the encounter was spontaneous and not intended for publicity. Yamal emphasized his desire to maintain the spontaneity and enjoyment that initially drew him to football, rather than allowing external pressures or statistics to overshadow the intrinsic pleasure of the game.",
  "summary": "Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal says he plays football for fun, not for money, goals, or assists, and reveals what he said to Lionel Messi. Read More: https://punchng.com/i-play-football-for-fun-not-money-yamal/",
  "key_points": [
    "Lamine Yamal plays football for enjoyment, not money",
    "Yamal met Lionel Messi and thanked him spontaneously",
    "Yamal emphasizes maintaining the spontaneous joy of the game"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "I play football for fun, not Money — Yamal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/i-play-football-for-fun-not-money-yamal-10164318",
        "published": "2026-09-27T07:34:47.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}