Yamal on media scrutiny: "No one would talk about a player from a team like Mataro"

All eyes are on Lamine Yamal, both at Barcelona and with the Spanish national team. Despite his youth, the winger has become one of football's biggest stars and is entering a pivotal year, with a World Cup next summer. To get there, Spain must first qualify. The first two tests will be against Bulgaria and Turkey. 

Lamine Yamal spoke to 'RTVE' about this and more. "Last year, I had a good run with the national team and as a Barca player, starting games and with confidence. I'm really excited to see what this season holds. There's a World Cup, and that's always marked on the calendar, and I'm really looking forward to everything," he said.

He's focused on that goal despite all the external noise he might encounter: "The criticism? To be honest, it doesn't affect me. I've realised that everything that happens in my life will be talked about, and by many people, making things up because things have happened in my life that I didn't even know about."

"It doesn't bother me much; in the end, as I said on the day of my contract renewal, for better or worse, I only listen to my inner circle, who really know what's what and what matters. It's something in my favour that helps me a lot because you'll never hear Lamine being sad or happy because of something someone else has said. I'm following my path, sticking to my mentality, which I think is what has brought me this far."

Regarding De la Fuente's comments comparing him to Carlos Alcaraz and leisure activities beyond football, the winger agreed: "I'm very grateful, he's been one of the best people to defend me, with the right and exact words, and yes, I agree with what he said. In the end, it's the easiest thing for people to do."

"What people talk about most about me lately is things off the pitch, but they talk about me because of what I do on the pitch, because if it wasn't for what I do on the pitch, nobody would talk about me. Nobody would talk about an 18th birthday party or their personal life if it were a player from a team like Mataro. I'm very calm; the people who matter know what I'm like. In the end, Luis, my manager with the national team, defends me, and that's no coincidence; I'll always be grateful to him, and I agree with everything he says."

Flick's wake-up call, sometimes necessary: "That's what everyone thinks; after a draw, you're bound to be heated. In the end, you have to win, but I don't think it has anything to do with that. We've taken seven points out of nine in very difficult grounds, which people don't talk about. We haven't played at home yet, only away. I don't think it has anything to do with that; it has to do with the fact that it wasn't our game; we didn't start with the intensity we finished with. He's right that we made a lot of mistakes, but it can happen. We need to get back to our level as soon as possible and be ready for the next match."

And he didn't shy away from the Ballon d'Or: "Yes, we want to win the Champions League (laughs) well, yes, both; both are a dream, especially for Barca, the Champions League, it would be incredible. Obviously, every player wants to win the Ballon d'Or. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. Being there at 18 is something to be valued, and hopefully, it will happen. Who would I give it to if it wasn't me? Neymar and Messi. I'd give one to Ney; I think he deserves it. Ney in that era when he was playing at Barcelona or at Paris would take it now without a doubt; I would have liked him to have won one, and obviously, Messi because he is the best in history."

The new number 10 he's sporting at Barcelona, but not with the national team: "After the Euros, there was already talk of me keeping the '10', but in the end, I kept the '19'; it wasn't the right time; it was too soon. Ansu had it, and he was a great friend of mine; it was best for him to wear it and respect that because I wouldn't like to have a number and have a friend of mine take it from me. I said that until Ansu was at another team or left it, I wasn't going to take it. I didn't feel any pressure; I was just thinking about making my own way. I think it's going well for me; I think better than with the '19'."

Lamine Yamal, a player who has that assist-making character in his DNA. "In the end, the assists come naturally to me; it's not something I say 'I want to make more assists'; they come naturally because of my style of play. It's true that in the last few years I've been more focused on goals; I'm focusing more on that; they're more important, something I have to demand of myself. When I reach one level, I have to try to move to another; I'm in that process now of trying to score as many goals as possible, but always with the mindset of helping the team."

He tried to help with the signing of Nico Williams: "Yes, I spoke to him, but I told him that in the end it's his career. I'm too young to tell someone what to do. The only important thing is that he enjoys himself and has a good time wherever he is, and I'm happy if he's happy."

And he concluded about the upcoming World Cup with Spain: "We have a squad to be world champions, although it doesn't depend on being the best; it depends on the intensity, on not relaxing, on going for it all, and that's what we'll try to do. It's a dream for all the national teams that are going to play in the World Cup."