Lamine Yamal: “I am Barcelona's number 10, I am not afraid of the pressure”

Lamine Yamal, the young star of the Spain national team and FC Barcelona, shared his thoughts on his physical condition and the immense responsibility he carries during the 2026 World Cup. The 19-year-old footballer emphasized that wearing the legendary number 10 for his club and being a key leader for the national team gives him extra strength. This was reported by Goal.com news reports.

In an interview with Tiempo de Juego, Yamal said he well understands the high expectations fans have of him. According to him, in modern football, attacking players who provide the most excitement always attract great attention. “I understand that people expect results from the player who brings the most joy. Pedri and Rodri are great players, but the pressure on me is different — I am Barcelona's number 10, I am a winger. I am happy with this pressure,” the footballer said.

Physical condition and preparation for the knockout stages

Having started the tournament with a minor injury, Yamal was deployed cautiously during the group stage. However, ahead of the knockout stage, he announced his full readiness. According to Goal.com, the player currently feels much better and is capable of playing for 90 minutes if the coach decides.

“I feel very good and I am training with great enthusiasm. My current condition is around 80-90 percent and this figure is only improving. I am ready to play full time on the pitch. Of course, the final decision is made by the coach; I will tell him about my condition,” Lamine Yamal added.

Although the Spain national team entered the tournament as one of the main favorites, their performance has been evaluated differently by critics. In Yamal's opinion, at this stage, winning is more important than playing beautifully. He noted that he prefers achieving a result over playing well and losing many times with Barcelona.

The young forward, who scored his first goal at the World Cup, said that this feeling was special. According to him, defending the honor of his country and putting his name on the scoreboard in the world's most prestigious tournament was one of the happiest moments of his career.

Notably, Yamal is distinguished by his calm character. “I never get overly excited or cry. I have only shed tears when I got injured or saw my mother crying. Even if we win the World Cup, I probably won't cry; that is impossible for me,” the Spain national team member concluded.