Lamine Yamal: Football has become robotic but Ballon dOr will be mine ‘without debate’

Lamine Yamal says modern football has become increasingly mechanical but believes his individual flair can set him apart, insisting he will win the Ballon d’Or “without debate”.

The Barcelona forward, 19, made the comments in an interview with The Guardian, in which he also discussed the 2026 World Cup final, his relationship with Lionel Messi and the hardships faced by his family.

“I did not want the referee to blow for full time in the 2026 World Cup final because I was genuinely enjoying myself and had no fear,” Yamal said.

“We knew we would win the World Cup after Enzo Fernandez was sent off. We knew it was impossible for Argentina to score, and it was very difficult for us not to score with possession against 10 players.”

Yamal said facing one, two or three opponents was largely a psychological contest.

“The full-back has a coach telling him that Lamine does this and that. I think as if he is a robot trying to stop me. Robots are almost perfect, but humans have something robots do not,” he said.

“Football has become robotic, but players like me and Pedri, among others, have that special spark.”

The Barcelona player said he had studied Neymar’s movements, particularly a trademark change of direction in which the Brazilian stops as if he is about to move one way before going the other.

“I have watched many clips of him. I try to play with opponents and make sure they cannot mechanise my game or know where I am going,” Yamal added.

He recalled three moments in the World Cup final when he faced the full-back and Alexis Mac Allister came across to provide support. Rather than attack immediately, Yamal slowed down to allow Mac Allister to close him down and Pedro Porro to move behind him.

He then passed back to Porro from a tight space. Porro crossed for Nico Williams, who headed the ball to Ferran Torres to score.

After the final, Yamal told Messi: “Thank you for everything you have given to football.” He said the gesture was spontaneous rather than something intended for the cameras.

Yamal also explained why his father did not publish a well-known photograph of him with Messi.

“I asked him not to. He had posted it before and I asked him to delete it. The comparison would have been easy, and that would have been all people talked about,” he said.

“I wanted to be Lamine. I did not want to be Messi. I asked my father to wait until I had established myself as ‘Lamine Yamal’, and then he could do whatever he wanted.”

Yamal said he had been performing at a Ballon d’Or-winning level for longer than just the current year.

“People know I am a player who makes a difference. They think, ‘Lamine is 19 and can win it at some point, so let’s give it to somebody else.’ But I believe the time will come when there will be no debate. Some people will say I am annoying.”

He added that his view of major tournaments had changed since the Euros. “At the Euros, I did not even know who I was, where I was or what it all meant,” he said. “Now I understand what these tournaments mean, but I think you only truly realise it when you go to the next one and lose.”

On arrogance, Yamal said: “That depends on how you are brought up. Only stupid people say, ‘Who are you? I have won the World Cup.’ Football represents just 0.000001% of life.”

He said his family’s struggles had put football into perspective.

“There is no fear in football. I saw my mother suffer so I could play, and my father walking the streets collecting scrap so I would have something to eat. That is real fear,” he said.

Yamal is among the nominees for the Ballon d’Or. He has played seven matches for Barcelona this season, contributing 12 goals and assists through eight goals and four assists.