Player says the desire to play football and perform in big games is “what gets me up in the morning”
Lamine Yamal will not allow talk of a possible Ballon d’Or win this year to distract him from playing his football.
The player has continued to burnish his reputation as one of world football’s brightest young stars, scoring twice as Spain edged France 5-4 in a pulsating UEFA Nations League semi-final that featured up to three different attackers who have been rated as Ballon d’Or-level forwards.
The reigning European champions took a commanding 5-1 lead in the match before surviving a late French comeback. The 17-year-old Yamal played a decisive role on the night, his brace proving crucial as Spain secured their place in Sunday’s final against Portugal, where he is set to face Cristiano Ronaldo in pursuit of his second international honour.
But the Barcelona prodigy, one of a few elite forwards touted as Ballon d’Or contenders this year, played down the individual talk in the post-match interviews. Speaking to RTVE, Yamal said: “I always say that the important thing is to talk on the pitch.”
The teenager found himself directly up against Paris Saint-Germain forward and Champions League winner Ousmane Dembele, one of the leading contenders this year for the highest individual honour in football. Yamal was quick to praise the Frenchman’s abilities, saying “Dembele is a great player, we’ve seen that in the Champions League.”
Reflecting on what drives him to perform in high-stakes games such as the semi-final, Yamal revealed that it was his love for football.
“I always tell my mom: When there are big games, I try to give it my all,” he said. “That is what motivates me and what gets me up in the morning. It is why I play football.”
