“My goal is not to break all records”

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has shared what he wants to achieve from his footballing career. He said that he just wants to enjoy playing and hopes that kids can look up to him.

Yamal has become a superstar at a young age of 18 due to performances for Barcelona and Spain. The right winger made his senior debut at club level at just 15 and has been excellent since then. He’s also won the LaLiga title and the UEFA Euro trophy, among numerous other honors.

In a recent interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Yamal shared what he wants to achieve in football, saying:

“My goal isn’t to break all records, to score a million goals, to play a million matches. I’m an athlete who wants to enjoy himself. I hope kids want to be like me. In the end, the goal is for people to enjoy and deliver a bit of a show in football.”

“I would like to change people’s day. If someone is sad and watches my match, I want their mood to improve. I want them to go back home happier than they were,” he added.

Yamal has scored 32 goals and provided 43 assists in 120 senior games for Barcelona. Meanwhile, he’s scored six goals and contributed 12 assists in 23 games for Spain.

Lamine Yamal shares thoughts on Barcelona legend Lionel Messi

The youngster is often compared to Lionel Messi as they both came through Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy and impressed at a young age. Both left-footed stars put in stellar performances for the club, helping them win numerous trophies.

In his interview on 60 Minutes, Yamal spoke about Lionel Messi and said:

“I think that Lionel Messi is the best footballer of all time, but he also knows that I’m a good player. There will be mutual respect if we play against each other. He knows that I’m not trying to be him, to play like him, or wear the #10 like him. I want to be my own.”

“As a kid, I used to study Messi’s passes. Other players made good passes, but Messi’s passes were pretty much goals. I always thought passing was more interesting than dribbling. They’re somewhat more clever,” he added.

Lionel Messi is widely regarded as Barcelona’s greatest player of all time. He recorded 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 games across competitions, winning four UEFA Champions League trophies, among other honors.