Do awards and trophies depend on each athlete's talent and performance? This question was recently answered by Barcelona's young star, Lamine Yamal, who surprised everyone with his game-focused perspective despite his short professional career. At 18, he has already won two LaLiga titles, two Spanish Super Cups, and one Copa del Rey with Barça, as well as several individual titles such as the Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy. But on this occasion, Lamine broke his silence on winning the Ballon d'Or. Yamal reflects: "My game is not based on that" At 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old, the young forward made his debut with Barcelona thanks to former technical director Xavi Hernández in a match against Real Betis on April 29, 2023, which they won 4-0. From there, Lamine became a key player in the Barça offense, even being compared to club legends such as Lionel Messi (whom he surpassed in jersey sales last year, for example). He was named the best young player at Euro 2024 and finished second in last year's Ballon d'Or rankings behind Ousmane Dembélé, but he took home the Kopa Trophy at the same gala, an award he had also won the previous year. However, despite the honor of receiving such a prestigious and important award, the young player has admitted that he is focused on his game and not on winning the Ballon d'Or due to the various factors that influence the choice of a winner: "I don't think about it," he said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo. "It's an award that, if you think about it, you're not going to get an answer. It depends on what you win, how you play, and who votes. It's not something that is decided by your play. I just want to enjoy myself and win with Barça and the national team." This season, he has played a total of 29 games, scoring 14 goals and providing 13 assists in all club competitions with Barça. Although statistics are not important to Lamine, he has admitted that he only cares about the collective good and contributing from his position so that the team can succeed: "My game is not based on that. It's true that it creates controversy because when I play well, I don't score, and when I score, I don't play well, but I want to play well, for the team to win, and to keep it that way." Meanwhile, the young talent has his work cut out for him with the Spanish national team. The first challenge is the Finalissima, a match between the European and American champions, which will be played on March 27 at Lusail Stadium in Doha, Qatar, where Lionel Messi and Argentina will defend the title they won against Italy (0-3) in 2022. In addition, ahead of the FIFA World Cup, Yamal, who has not yet played in this tournament, is now officially qualified for his first World Cup. As part of Group H, he will make his debut on Monday, June 15, at the Atlanta Stadium against Cape Verde. Then, on Sunday 21, he will face Saudi Arabia and Uruguay on the 26th at the Guadalajara Stadium in Mexico. Meanwhile, Yamal and Barcelona will face RCD Mallorca in a LaLiga match this Saturday, February 7, at Spotify Camp Nou, hoping to extend their winning streak.
