Lamine Yamal explains why childhood photos with Lionel Messi were kept secret
Lamine Yamal has disclosed that childhood photos of him with Lionel Messi were intentionally kept private to avoid early comparisons with the Argentine and Barcelona legend.
The photos, which show Messi with a young Yamal and his mother during a 2007 charity calendar shoot, have recently surfaced and gone viral amid Yamal’s standout performances at Euro 2024.
Yamal has been a revelation at the tournament, leading with three assists and scoring in Spain’s crucial 2-1 semi-final victory over France.
The emergence of the photos has fueled the buzz around the Spanish winger, but Yamal explained the reason for their initial secrecy.
“Back when the photos were taken, I had no idea what was happening because I was just a baby,” Yamal shared with Jijantes.
“My dad kept the photos hidden because we wanted to avoid any comparisons with Messi.”
He acknowledged that while being compared to Messi is flattering, it can also be a burden.
“No one would be upset to be compared to the greatest player of all time, but those comparisons can be detrimental because you can never live up to that standard,” Yamal said.
As Lamine Yamal continues to shine on the international stage, the newly surfaced photos underscore the remarkable journey from his early days to becoming one of Spain’s brightest talents.
