Beginnings at Barça, comparisons with Leo Messi... Lamine Yamal is sincere

Lamine Yamal's name has been trending in the past few hours. Why? The renowned French publication 'France Football' has decided to highlight the talented right winger in two of the several awards it annually bestows to honor the best in the world in different areas. Firstly, Rocafonda was nominated for the Kopa Trophy, an award that honors the best under-21 footballer of the season. Secondly, the most notable, his nomination for the Ballon d'Or, where he is among the 30 candidates vying for this prestigious award. At 17 years and 53 days, the '19' culé becomes the youngest player to be nominated for this great recognition, surpassing Kylian Mbappé (18 years and 293 days) in this aspect.

Now, the French publication has dedicated its September edition to Lamine Yamal, making him the protagonist of an engaging interview entitled "I want to leave my mark on football". In this conversation, among other things, an unseen side of the Spanish-Moroccan forward is revealed. In the teaser revealed this Thursday by 'L'Équipe', one can see how the winger begins by talking about his love for football from an early age: "I always went with my ball. I remember taking it with me in a bag to school and kicking it all the way to class. When I arrived in class, I would hide it in my backpack because the teacher wouldn't let me leave it on the table. I have always been with a ball," Lamine commented.

In a striking account, Yamal revealed how his dribbling skills were honed through playing with his dogs: "I always played with my dogs because my father said they didn't bite and would make me run with them. Playing against a dog is the hardest thing you can do".

The 'fear' of playing against veterans and the demand at the highest level

Likewise, the young Barcelona 'gem' explained that his courage to compete with older players stems from his experiences in street games. "Playing on the street took away my fear of playing with older people. I was 11 or 12 years old and my opponents were 20. That made me lose my fear, enjoy, and be able to play against anyone," he added.

Lamine also demonstrated his competitive spirit by stating: "I'm a guy who doesn't like to play at a higher level, as I did in the cadets, because I don't like to relax or be overconfident. I always prefer it to be more difficult. I'd rather not play than play everything and have it very easy."

His beginnings at FC Barcelona

Regarding his first approach to the FC Barcelona first team, the Mataró native shared a revealing anecdote. "The first time, I left my shoes in the locker room and went to the gym to ride a bike because I was embarrassed to be there. I saw Jordi Alba, Piqué, Pjanic... With time, I adapted and when I debuted, I wasn't nervous," he admitted.

In addition, the European champion highlighted how the Barcelona entity has contributed to his development as a footballer and how his progression continues to rise. "When I came from La Torreta, it is true that I had that one-on-one, that verticality and everything, but I didn't have self-control. Knowing when to play fast or slow, being able to play as a team... all those things that in the end you do at Barça, which is the club that knows best how to use players for that," he mentioned.

Comparisons with Leo Messi and the great admiration for his Barça idols

Regarding constant comparisons with a FC Barcelona and world football legend like Leo Messi, Lamine addresses the issue wisely. "The most important thing is not to pay attention. Being compared to the best in history means you're doing things right. It doesn't bother me, but I try to be myself. The most important thing is to leave a legacy," he affirmed.

To conclude, Yamal shares his football idols, highlighting Neymar Jr.: "At that time, I remember Neymar was at Santos, Messi obviously... Messi, Villa, Pedro... All from Barça. They are the first images that made me see football. Since I was little, with my father and mother at home, it's the first thing I remember. After school, we'd go to a friend's house because he had a computer and we'd watch Neymar videos all afternoon. Then I'd go home to sleep and keep watching in my room," he concluded.