Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal has shared his ambition to emulate Lionel Messi and Neymar at the club. He revealed this before Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid. In a promotional event for Powerade’s “The 304” campaign, the Spain international spoke highly of the players who paved the way for him. “That’s amazing.” When I was young, I used to wear shirts of Neymar, Messi, and other players, so seeing kids in my shirt means I’m their inspiration, at least in football. I never expected this to happen so quickly: seeing 13-year-old kids wearing the shirt of someone who’s just four years older than them is incredible. My mom frequently reminds me to consider how special it is—not everyone gets to go somewhere and see a child wearing their shirt. It is something that brings me great joy and is one of my favorite things.
