Teenager says: “The Champions League will come home”
Lamine Yamal marked his 18th birthday with a message to Barcelona fans that he wants to end the club’s Champions League drought.
“Turning 18, I wish to achieve everything we had at 16 and 17, with the title we’re missing,” said Yamal. “The Champions League and also the World Cup, those are the ones I’m missing. My mindset tells me I have to go out and win.”
Yamal is already a European champion with Spain and a domestic treble winner with Barcelona. Barcelona’s last Champions League triumph came a decade ago, in 2015 under Luis Enrique. Since then, both hard luck and underperformance have kept the club away from the ultimate prize in Europe’s elite competition.
Last season’s semi-final exit at the hands of Inter was a particularly painful blow, with Inter themselves eventually collapsing dramatically against Paris Saint-Germain in the final. Domestically, however, Barcelona impressed under Hansi Flick, claiming a Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup treble.
Yamal was instrumental for both Barcelona and Spain in their respective trophy wins. Despite being less than 18, he earned his place in both the La Liga club and Spain’s starting XI. At Euro 2024 he had a standout campaign in which he topped the assist charts (4).
“I’m not thinking about how many years I’ve got ahead,” said Yamal. “I want to win now. I’ll try and give everything to make it happen.
“I just want to tell the fans that we’ll be there, fighting, and the Champions League will come home. The World Cup too.”
