Yamal: I want to face Real Madrid in the Champions League, and Mbappé and I deserve the Ballon d'Or

An interview with Lamine Yamal, star of FC Barcelona and the Spain national team, aired on the "Universo Valdano" program via Movistar, following the release of excerpts a few days earlier. The young player spoke candidly about his personality and ambitions, the pressure from fans, his participation with Spain, as well as his views on the Ballon d'Or and his stance on racism.

Lamine Yamal spoke about his relationship with football and his big ambitions, saying: "People doubt me more because of the second one. Just because I have won many things, it doesn't mean I don't want to win the UEFA Champions League. On the day I won the FIFA World Cup, I actually wanted to win another one. I live for football and for it."

Regarding reaching this level at a young age, he said: "There were great stars like Leo or Cristiano, but I believe we haven't seen anything of this magnitude at such an early age recently. People think that because I have won, I feel comfortable. But I still have a lot of things to do in the history of football."

He added about his personality and how he deals with himself: "I have many demands on myself. Before going to the UEFA Champions League, I thought winning it wasn't that hard. And before the FIFA World Cup, I had in my mind that we would win it. I always think we will beat Real Madrid. This extra pressure is often positive."

Regarding the pressures surrounding him, Yamal explained: "I feel it as a kind of adrenaline. I can't go play a match without people expecting something from me. So it's something that only football gives me."

The FC Barcelona star spoke about his feelings regarding his talent when he was young, saying: "When I was little, I never felt like I was the best player on my team. I always looked at others and thought I had to do more. There came a moment when I was promoted and realized that I was different from the rest. But I always try to improve myself because I have a thousand things I need to develop in."

Regarding his assessment of his performance at the FIFA World Cup, Yamal said: "I did not come out happy after winning the FIFA World Cup. The injury has nothing to do with it. Although I did a lot of things that people did not see, I was not happy for myself. I know that another player at the level I showed would have had a great World Cup, but I was capable of doing more. I have a desire for the next FIFA World Cup to come."

He also touched on the issue of arrogance and self-confidence, saying: "I believe that arrogance, when kept under control, is a very good thing. But it must always be under control. Because it helps the entire team. I always want players with me who believe they are the best."

Regarding his position on the pitch, he explained: "I don't know in which position I will end my career, but I will always be a forward. That's true, you won't see Lamine Yamal, the 16-year-old, glued to the touchline. Little by little, the closer I get to the penalty area, the more dangerous I become."

Yamal spoke about the competition in the coming years, saying: "There is something I possess, which is that I have gone through the stages of maturity very quickly. I have already fully adapted. There are matches I think I could have been more comfortable in. I am calm because I know I can offer more. It is very difficult to find someone who says they are at my level."

In discussing the Ballon d'Or, Yamal said: "This award is evaluated differently. When Messi and Cristiano were around, everyone knew they were the best, and that's why there was no debate. The problem is that people evaluate things that are not criteria for the Ballon d'Or, like when they say a player from Paris Saint-Germain should win it because he won the UEFA Champions League."

He continued: "The award should be given to the best player in the world, and that's it. It's not for a player who scored 80 goals, because when you score that many goals, you receive the top scorer award. These are different things that people don't understand. The best player in the world is the player who, when you watch the match, you enjoy watching him, a player different from everyone else. When this award refocuses on the points I mentioned, it will regain the value it historically had."

When asked about the player he would give the Ballon d'Or to, Yamal replied: "I would give it to the best player in the world. As for who they will give it to, that is a very long conversation. I honestly think there are two of us as the best players in the world. This year, I would deserve it because of what I have won. Mbappé and I are the best players in the world. Anyone who watches the matches knows that. We have a direct confrontation and I have outperformed him in everything. He has scored a lot of goals, but that is why he won the top scorer award."

Lamine Yamal also spoke about Lionel Messi in the FIFA World Cup, saying: "Although everyone knows he is the best player in history, no one expected this legendary performance. For me, Argentina has good players, but Leo stands out among them. For me, he was the best player in the World Cup."

Regarding the relationship between the FIFA World Cup and the Ballon d'Or, he said: "I also don't see it as good. I don't think one tournament should grant you the award. But I think the coincidence is that I play with the national team that won the World Cup. If England had won, I would still say that Mbappé and I are the best players."

Regarding wearing the captain's armband at a young age, he explained: "The teammates are the ones who give you the step to become a leader. I feel that already, as the team always looks for answers from me in difficult moments. I am very grateful that it has become this way."

Barcelona star spoke about the team's goal in the UEFA Champions League, saying: "In the end, we are Barcelona, and we have had many of the best teams in history. I see it as good to be obsessed with the UEFA Champions League. It would be cowardly to think only about winning LaLiga. On the day of the Inter match, if you put us in the same situation, things would change. These are just details of bravery because of youth."

Regarding his controversial statements before the clásico, Yamal said: "On that day I arrived thinking that I wasn't being that disrespectful. I would have preferred to play this way instead of going through a clásico like the one that happened four years ago, which was almost meaningless. You knew one of the teams was going to win. But I realized I could have done it differently."

He spoke about his culture, roots, and their influence on his personality, saying: "This helps you in everything in your daily life. When I went to Morocco for the first time, I didn't understand anything; I only spoke Spanish. I saw how difficult it was to adapt. And this helps you. I feel very lucky."

Lamine Yamal has revealed he has faced racism, stating: "Yes. A thousand times. People can be indirectly racist, but perhaps they don't realize it. There are many comments and looks that are racist, and they don't realize it. I also went out once and it didn't bother me. For example, in the famous video where they tell us everything in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, people were surprised by my reaction. For someone to call me 'black' doesn't bother me at all. It's wrong, but I won't play a match and make someone who paid for a ticket to watch me angry because of that."

Regarding the fight against racism in football, he explained: "I think there are things being done, but we need to be more serious about some decisions. Appropriate actions must be taken. The only thing I would change is the way the punishment is administered, because this is something that cannot be tolerated."

Lamine Yamal concluded his remarks by talking about the opponent that FC Barcelona fears in the UEFA Champions League this season, saying: "I would say Paris Saint-Germain. Because it is very difficult to win after winning. For me, that is the hardest thing. I think what scares me is to get to the dressing room and see that people do not have the desire to achieve more. When Xavi left, we faced difficulties. Bayern is a very good team. As for Real Madrid, we have never faced them, but I would love for us to meet. Arsenal is similar to us, but I think we are better."