Lamine Yamal says he’s not centered on successful the 2026 Ballon d’Or and has prioritised success with Barcelona and Spain over the following 10 months.
The 18-year-old got here second to Ousmane Dembele final yr and can once more be among the many favourites to land the prize with Barca nonetheless preventing on three fronts: the Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey.
The winner, although, is prone to have performed a big function on this summer season’s World Cup and Yamal says his ambitions are collective, not particular person.
He instructed Mundo Deportivo: “I don’t give it some thought, it’s a prize that if you concentrate on it, you received’t have a solution. It’s one thing that is dependent upon what you win, the way you play, on those that vote, it’s not one thing that’s determined solely in your sport. I simply wish to take pleasure in issues and win with Barça and the nationwide staff.”
Crunch interval coming for Barcelona and Yamal
With 22 rounds of the Liga season carried out and the league section of the Champions League accomplished, it’s getting in direction of the enterprise finish of the season and Yamal is aware of it’s now time to maneuver by way of the gears.
He added: “Now the necessary moments come and that’s the place the standard gamers of our staff have to return out. I’m having fun with this second and I’m going for extra.”
Barca lead the Liga table by one point from Real Madrid and Yamal is aware of there’s little room for error.
“It’s the most troublesome competitors as a result of it’s the longest,” he stated. “Till the tip nothing is determined and like final yr, we should combat till the tip, add factors, not lose any video games, as a result of they’re all necessary.”
Barca superior to the spherical of 16 within the Champions League with out the necessity to take part within the play-offs however the teenager doesn’t imagine a top-eight end has an enormous bearing on what’s to return because the membership chase their first continental crown in 11 years.
“It’s completely different, the place doesn’t actually let you know something, solely that we are able to relaxation extra,” he stated. “We are going to go together with all the pieces and attempt to win.”
