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Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal has responded when asked what he would dislike if he were to be a defender. Yamal has risen to become one of the most promising attackers of his generation with a bright future ahead.
Lamine Yamal rose from the ranks of Barcelona's famed academy, La Masia, before making his senior team debut in April 2023 under former coach Xavi. Since his early days, he was often compared to the legendary Lionel Messi for his dribbling and attacking process. The Spaniard ranked second in the Ballon d'Or rankings this year after leading Barca to the domestic treble last season. In 120 appearances for the Catalans across competitions, Yamal has contributed 32 goals and 43 assists.
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In his interview on CBS's 60 Minutes, Lamine Yamal was asked about his playing style and what he would dislike if he were to be a defender. The 18-year-old said (via AS):
"If I were a defender, I wouldn’t like a player to keep nutmegging me. I’d tell him to calm down. My friends would make memes about me."
Speaking further about his playing style and handling pressure, he added:
"I can’t feel pressure when playing football. I just try to enjoy. I think that my friends and family have been through harder things than I just playing football. Football is everything to me. It’s the first love of my life and it will remain so. It’s one of the sports where everyone is on an equal footing."
Yamal's form has seen a slight decline this season after he was diagnosed with pubalgia and missed a few games. His performance in Barcelona's recent 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League also drew criticism. However, the season is far from over, and the Spaniard will get chances to improve.
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal opens up about facing Lionel Messi in the Finalissima
In his interview on CBS's 60 Minutes (h/t AS), Lamine Yamal also opened up about facing Lionel Messi in the upcoming Finalissima in 2026. Messi's Argentina is set to clash against Yamal's Spain in March 2026. Yamal said:
"I think that Lionel Messi is the best footballer of all time, but he also knows that I’m a good player. There will be mutual respect if we play against each other. He knows that I’m not trying to be him, to play like him, or wear the #10 like him. I want to be my own."
This season, Yamal took up the legendary Barcelona number 10 shirt, which was sported by Messi during his time at the club. The youngster has also often spoken about idolizing the Argentine, but stressed that he would like to write his own story.
"As a kid, I used to study Messi’s passes. Other players made good passes, but Messi’s passes were pretty much goals. I always thought passing was more interesting than dribbling. They’re somewhat more clever," Yamal said.
Interestingly, Lamine Yamal is also often lauded for exceptional passes and key assists, which have helped his Barcelona teammates find the net. During his exceptional form last season, the Spaniard had recorded 25 assists in 55 games. He was also brilliant in Spain's victory in the Euro 2024, where he recorded four assists in seven games.
