"Messi is the best, but my idol was Neymar"

Lamine Yamal has become something of a middle ground between a promise and a star. His youth is insulting to traditional footballing times, but in a positive sense, much is expected of him in the Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

To fuel the build-up, La Liga interviewed him on its official channel, where the Barcelona academy player spoke about his origins and said his childhood idol was Neymar.

"Youngest goalscorer, youngest assistant, youngest debutant, youngest international goalscorer at the European Championship... You try not to think about it too much, but yes, now that I say it, many things make you happy and I hope there are more to come. At the beginning, I wasn't signed up for football because my parents couldn't afford it yet, so I just played football in the park with other kids," he said.

"My childhood idol was Neymar, he was the one I looked up to and watched every video there was. Messi, obviously, for me, has always been the best, but I indeed loved the way Neymar was and the way he played," he added.

"I would like to be remembered as a legend in Barcelona's history. In the end, my life depends on football and Barcelona. The club has given me everything and I hope to be here all my life," he claimed.

 

October 22, 2024