"I don't look at statistics; I play for people to enjoy and to win"

Lamine Yamal has spoken about the comparisons with the Argentine Messi and has assured that he does not think about whether he has ‘more or less than another’ player, since for him ‘the key is to think about oneself’.

"I don't think about whether I have more or less than someone else. I think the key is to think about yourself, to try to do the best for the team and for yourself. I don't look too much at stats, I play to enjoy myself, for people to enjoy themselves and to win, obviously. I don't look at whether someone else has more or less than me," he explained in an interview with UEFA.

The 17-year-old confessed that his role at the last European Championship has changed him as a footballer: "Before I was like a child, but since I won the European Championship everything is different. I don't look like a kid anymore, I'm more confident. When you win a title, all the players take a step forward, and that's noticeable."

An evolution that he has transferred to his game at Barca. "Now I have more confidence and I do more things than I did before. Before, I played more easily, I did what I felt like doing at any given moment. Now I try to enjoy more and be inspired by myself, and do what I feel like doing at any given moment," he said.

Yamal praised coach Hansi Flick, whom he described as "a very nice person, who you can talk to". "He asks you how you are, he teaches you a lot, I have learned a lot from him. And that makes him respected as a coach and as a person. That's how you see him. He is strict, but at the same time he knows how to understand what each player needs at any given moment", he added.

The Spanish international revealed that the German coach is insistent on his off-the-ball duties, but gives him freedom in attack. "When it comes to defensive concepts he does ask certain things of me, but in attack he doesn't tell me much, just to enjoy myself and that's it. That's the confidence he gives us", he said.

Furthermore, Lamine admitted that fame has changed his life, as now he can't go out in the street with his family without being recognised, and said that this situation "is difficult", although it also makes him "proud".