Lamine Yamal mocks Roberto Martinez ahead of World Cup semi-final

Young Spanish national team star Lamine Yamal shared his thoughts ahead of the World Cup semi-final clash against France in North America. The Barcelona winger addressed not only his preparation for the upcoming match but also his stance on numerology and number-related predictions. This was reported by Goal.com. reports.

According to The Guardian, when asked about the coincidences regarding his age and jersey number—both being 19—the player dismissed them. In his response, Yamal poked fun at former Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez's views on numerology, emphasizing that actions on the pitch, not numbers, determine the result.

"No, I don't believe in such things. Because the Portugal coach also talked a lot about numerology, but in the end, Mikel Merino appeared and decided everything. I'm not worried about scoring; the main thing is to win. The best gift for my birthday would be a victory," said Lamine Yamal.

Reaction to pressure and criticism

Despite his young age, Yamal stated that he feels no nerves or fear ahead of the most important match of his career. According to him, football is just a game, and there are much tougher situations in life. He added that the Spanish national team enters the pitch as reigning European champions and knows its objectives well.

The forward also gave a sharp response to criticism regarding his dip in form during the tournament. "You think I'm not at my best, which means you shouldn't expect anything from me tomorrow. But I hope this day will be special," the forward emphasized.

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente also supported his player. The coach believes that Yamal's best performances in this tournament are yet to come. He asked the player to simply enjoy the game rather than getting weighed down by expectations. The semi-final between Spain and France is the center of attention for the global football community.