The Story of Lamine Yamal Imitating Neymar
Lamine Yamal has amazed football fans in every tournament he plays, with his great skill and youthful rebellion, he has become the breakout star of world football. Now we ask ourselves: Who is the player that inspired Lamine Yamal?
Although Lionel Messi was one of the players he focused on to improve, Neymar is one of the biggest inspirations for the young Spaniard to shine on the pitch: "I used to go to a friend's house who had a computer to watch Neymar videos all afternoon, and when I got home to sleep, I would practice in my room."
It's clear that the Brazilian is one of Lamine's greatest inspirations; however, he wasn't the only one he learned from: "Messi, Villa, Pedro... are the first images I remember." With these lessons, it's clear that Lamine learned from the best to become one of the most promising footballers in the world, although the road ahead is still long.
"When I arrived (at Barcelona), I had one-on-one skills, verticality, and everything, but I didn’t have control of myself. I didn’t know when to play fast, when to play slow, or how to play as a team," he stated.
How does Lamine Yamal deal with comparisons to Messi?
Every time Barcelona discovered a rough diamond, the media and fans around the world immediately compared them to Lionel Andrés Messi. This is how one of the most impressive stories in world football began. However, among so many unfulfilled promises, a generational player has emerged who has surprised everyone, and his name is Lamine Yamal.
"The most important thing is not to focus on it. Being compared to the best in history means you're doing things right. It doesn't bother me, but I try to be myself," says Lamine about the comparisons to Messi, demonstrating a mental strength that makes him a standout player, capable of handling the pressure of being compared to the greatest of all time.
