Few players have made more headlines than the 18-year-old, and he has finally shared what the fame means to him
Lamine Yamal has acknowledged a point that has been widely shared across social media over the past year.
The player has confirmed he indeed enjoys the attention that comes with being one of football’s most recognisable young players.
Asked if he minds being in the public eye as a global star, even in the midst of all the scrutiny around his life and career, the Barcelona forward said: “No, honestly I don’t. In fact, I like it.”
Yamal turned 18 in the summer of 2025 but already has several major honours to his name, including the Euros with Spain and a domestic treble with Barcelona.
He has twice won the Kopa Trophy for the best young player under 21, and he has finished second in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
His club and style of play have inevitably brought comparisons with Lionel Messi, although the teenager has consistently played that down. For good reason – those are large boots indeed.
“Where I used to play, in my neighbourhood, there were walls where people would sit and there was no better feeling than getting the people who were sitting there to stand up and laugh at the opponents,” Yamal started. “I think it’s the best feeling in the world and something that reminds me of that a lot is when I’m playing on the field and the fans get up and are surprised by a play I’ve made.”
Yamal is the most popular Barcelona player currently, and no one is loved more by culers. He has the same feeling towards football that fans have towards him.
“Football is everything to me,” said Yamal. “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. I don’t think I’ve ever felt pressure playing football.”
While the 18-year-old loves the attention, it has not been easy managing it. Yamal has featured regularly in headlines in 2025, from coverage of his 18th birthday celebrations, where dwarfs were controversially hired as entertainers, to his relationship with Argentine female rapper Nicki Nicole.
He admitted that living a normal life is no longer realistic.
“It’s hard to act like a normal 18-year-old,” Yamal said. “Even if I wanted to, I would never be able to. For me, I go to training with photographers in front of my house and kids wearing my shirt on the street.
“I would like to go eat at a restaurant like a normal person, but I can’t because people will always stop me. It’s normal because I’m famous. So I try to do simpler things, like visiting my mom, brother, or playing video games.”
However, there is a positive side to that popularity and Yamal loves that bit.
“People have told me that they’ve started watching football again because of me,” said Yamal. “My mother watches all the matches now.
“People had stopped wearing football jerseys to school; now that trend is back. Even tourists, here in Barcelona, get the Barca jersey with the 10 at the back. It has made me realise things.”
