The Golden Ball, his idols and the best moments off football: this is Lamine Yamal

BarcelonaBefore debuting in his first World Cup and after a season with Barça in which he has re-edited the title of League champion and the Spanish Super Cup, Lamine Yamal has revealed some inner details on his personal YouTube channel. In a relaxed conversation, at different daily moments such as a car journey, the blaugrana star and the Spanish national team has confessed that he thought he would win the Ballon d'Or, which was finally awarded to Ousmane Dembélé, and has explained the positive impact that not lifting the award had on him.

"Honestly, that day I thought I would win it because of things that happened that same day. It was very good for me that Dembélé won it, to grow personally. Besides, I get along very well with him; the other day he wrote to me to see how I was," he explains. Lamine Yamal, at just 18 years old, finished second. "It wasn't the time for me to win it. I was a child and I wouldn't have valued what it means to win a Ballon d'Or. I wasn't in a good moment and, from then on, I have matured a lot and changed some things".

Among other issues, the Catalan star also reveals his favorite footballers. Outside of Barça, Neymar [currently at Santos]. "He is my idol. Also Doku and Cherki [offensive footballers from Manchester City]". But Lamine Yamal also puts on the table two teammates, one in Barcelona and the other in the Spanish national team, whom he considers to be undervalued. These are Gerard Martín and Fabián Ruiz, a midfielder for PSG and former Betis player.

The bandage he wears on his right hand

Lamine Yamal has been playing for some time with a bandage that goes from his wrist to his right hand. "While playing PlayStation, I hit the TV and my fingers swelled up a lot. I bandaged them and the bandage looked good on me, as if I were Karim Benzema. We made the Benzema joke and now I just wear it. It looks good on me, right?", he explains, with the naturalness of an 18-year-old kid.

A naturalness, however, that often cannot be lived due to being a world-class star. That is why, despite earning over 20 million euros a year, between salary and advertising commitments, what he has valued most outside of football in the last year have been simple moments. "A day cycling through Paris, touring the city like any tourist. A quiet afternoon having a drink with friends, without cameras or pressure. A whole day in Paris on scooters, shopping, playing PlayStation in the hotel and a night walk with friends." The Barça star resolves: "You might think 'what is this guy saying now?', but these are normal things that you do and that I cannot do," he explains, addressing the audience of his YouTube channel.