Lamine Yamal has made no secret of the players who shaped his footballing imagination. The Spain winger says he is delighted to see Lionel Messi still starring on the World Cup stage, describing the Argentine’s performances at 39 as “incredible” after many doubted he could continue at such a level.
"Everyone knows who Messi is, but no one expected him to be playing at such a high level. I'm really happy for him," Yamal told Spanish outlet El Mundo Deportivo, as quoted by ESPN.
Yamal, who inherited Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt at Barcelona, also paid tribute to Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo, calling them the figures who defined the childhood of his generation. Although Neymar has already bowed out with Brazil and Ronaldo’s final World Cup ended in defeat to Spain, Yamal believes their influence endures.
"I'm happy for Neymar, even though he's no longer here, and for Cristiano [Ronaldo]," Yamal said. "They shaped the childhoods of all of us who are playing now.
“Anything good that happens to them will be good for me,” Yamal added.
Now 18, Yamal finds himself following in the footsteps of those idols. A hamstring injury disrupted the start of his campaign, but he has steadily regained sharpness as Spain have marched into the quarterfinals without conceding a goal.
The teenager remains his own harshest critic, insisting he can do better despite leading the tournament in successful dribbles and earning Player of the Match honours against Austria in the Round of 16 clash. He believes his best performances come when the stakes are highest.
The closer the important matches get, the semifinals or the final, the better I play. I've never been the best player in the group stage. I'm not worried about that.
"In the end, people remember these moments, from the round of 16 and the quarterfinals onwards. That's when I'm most motivated. I've taken this whole process calmly so I could arrive at this point in good shape," said Yamal.
With Belgium awaiting in the last eight, Yamal has the chance to write another chapter in a journey that began with admiring Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo from afar.
