Lamine Yamal: “I want to be a Barcelona legend”

17-year-old wants to continue and finish his career at his youth club and dismisses comparisons with Leo Messi

Lamine Yamal gave an interview to Pablo Motos, live on El Hormiguero, and spoke about several topics, including the Ballon d’Or, which he considers he does not yet deserve, although he is the favorite for the Golden Boy award.

“I was in the elevator with Nico when the list came out. He came out first, but I have no chance of winning the Ballon d’Or. I would like to play with him every week, I hope, but now he’s at Athletic ,” he said, also commenting on his Spanish striker’s rejection of Barça .

The 17-year-old was wanted by PSG , who paid the release clause during the summer transfer window, but he himself assured that he never thought about it and that he wants to continue and finish his career in Catalonia: «I don’t want them to give me those 120 million, because I would have to leave Barcelona. I hope I can never leave Barça , I want to be a legend.»

Finally, he was asked again about comparisons with Lionel Messi and the Spaniard downplayed them, stating that it is “impossible” to reach his level: “I like being compared to the best player in the history of football, but I want to be myself. It is impossible to reach Messi’s level. Did he pass some of his powers on to me? I still have a lot to give, that was a draw for the pages of a calendar and it was my turn”, he concluded, when reminded of the iconic photograph with the Argentine, when he was just a baby.