Lamine Yamal has no intention of changing his lifestyle to appease the critics and says he has “earned” the right to enjoy himself.
Yamal, who grew up in humble surroundings in Catalonia, is now one of the highest-paid players in the world having signed a new long-term deal at Barcelona.
His off-field behaviour has attracted attention – most notably his decision to hire dwarves to perform at his 18th birthday party last year – but the Spain international believes life is to be enjoyed.
He told El Pais: “I think there are two ways of seeing life. There are people who live a normal life and then move on to luxury, but calmly. And then there’s me, who understands that you have to enjoy it. I think people think a lot about things: what happens if I do this, what happens if I meet this person, what happens if this relationship ends, what happens if I buy this and then I don’t want it.
“When I’m older, I won’t spend all the money I earn. I have the ability to leave things to my children and, at the same time, enjoy life. Because life has to be enjoyed.
“Everything I feel like doing, since I couldn’t do it as a child, I’m going to do it now and without fear that maybe it’s too much. Because I’ve earned it. I had nothing and I have earned everything I have playing football.
“It is not something that has been given to me nor have I inherited it from anyone. So, I think I have the power to do whatever I want with my life. For me that is a law of life: what you have achieved, you can do whatever you want with it. It’s true that you still need advice and that’s fine with me.”
Yamal reveals downsides to fame and fortune
The trappings of fame do have their downsides, though.
He added: “Often I’m eating with my partner or my mother and they ask me for a photo. And I think ’maybe it’s not the time’.
People don’t know the value of being able to go out for a drink or go to the movies quietly. I can’t live that. I think I would change a lot of things about everything I have for being a free person. Anyone can go to downtown Barcelona, buy clothes, have a drink and go back home. Not me. So, when I can do it, for example now, when I’m in the United States, where no one knows me, I take advantage of it.”
Yamal, who is expected to start when Spain face Saudi Arabia at the World Cup this afternoon, has been labelled arrogant but the teenager says self-confidence is important.
“To some extent it is important to be self-centered,” he said. “I don’t see it as a bad thing. But above all it is important to have a lot of self-confidence. People often confuse confidence with self-centeredness. In the world we are in, if you are not full of confidence, they can end you. And it’s true that it’s fun to have a little ego.”
Yamal reveals admiration for veteran Messi
Given his Barcelona links, Yamal has drawn comparisons with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and Argentina captain Lionel Messi.
Messi turns 39 years of age on Wednesday and is still performing at the highest level, netting a hat-trick in Argentina’s Group J win over Algeria last week.
Yamal is full of admiration for the Inter Miami star and asked if he would still be playing at that age, replied: “Impossible. Impossible. Impossible. Play, maybe. But at that level it is very, very, very difficult. And you must really want it too. For me he is the best and he continues to show it.”
