A left-footed right winger and a graduate of FC Barcelona‘s renowned La Masia academy, Lamine Yamal shares numerous similarities with club legend Lionel Messi. However, the young star recently snubbed his idol, revealing which player he would choose to be reborn as.
While Yamal has previously named Messi the greatest player in soccer history and expressed pride in the comparisons between the two, Brazilian icon Neymar has always been another player the Spaniard has admired.
In a quick-fire interview with Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Yamal was asked, “If you were born again, which footballer would you like to be?” Without hesitation, he answered, “Neymar.” He also listed the Brazilian forward, along with Jamal Musiala and Savinho, as three stars who don’t play for Barcelona but whom he would love to see at the club.
When asked which of the three players he would sign for Barcelona, Yamal sidestepped rumors linking the Brazilian, who is currently at Santos, to a possible return. “You want me to say Neymar… but no: Musiala, who has a contract,” Yamal responded.
Despite his admiration for both Messi and Neymar, Yamal has always been particularly captivated by the Brazilian’s flair and playing style. However, when asked to name the current best athlete, he chose Messi over anyone else.
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Neymar: Yamal’s childhood idol
When Messi made his professional debut on May 1, 2005, Yamal hadn’t even been born yet (July 13, 2007). This generational gap meant that Neymar’s arrival at Barcelona had a greater impact on Yamal, who was just a child when the Brazilian joined the club. In an interview with BBC, Yamal spoke about how Neymar became his childhood idol.
“I was five years old when I saw him at Santos, but seven years old when I saw him in person at FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou. It was incredible to see him.” he admitted. “Yes, it’s true that Messi was there who was also incredible, but he was something totally different. Neymar has always been my idol. He’s a star, a soccer legend,” Yamal ended.
