Barcelona’s young winger Lamine Yamal is already used to big expectations, but his own ambitions seem even louder. In a conversation for the podcast Resonancia de Corazón, he calmly, without bravado, sets a goal that takes many people’s breath away: not just to reach the Ballon d'Or, but to do it more than once. We compiled the key points in an interview format—about being demanding of oneself, the hunger for victory, and why a single trophy can’t be the full stop.
"Ambition Is Not Measured by One"
— Lamine, you speak about the Ballon d'Or in the plural. Is that a deliberate challenge to yourself?
— Yes. When you dream of the summit, it makes sense to set the bar higher. I see no point in limiting myself to a single goal. I want to win Ballon d'Or awards as many times as my level and the work I put in every day will allow.
"If I Didn't Win, I Fell Short Somewhere"
— What would a season without the top individual award mean to you?
— First of all, a reason for self-analysis. If I don’t win, it means I fell short somewhere: I didn’t progress enough, wasn’t hungry enough, or made mistakes in the details. For me that’s a signal to adjust my routine, take training and off-the-ball work even more seriously, and improve decision-making in the final third.
"The Joy of Victory Is Not a Stop Sign"
— Imagine the day you lift the Ballon d'Or for the first time. What then?
— Joy, of course. But it shouldn’t stop me. I want the first trophy to be a starting point. After it, the desire to do more is inevitable: to confirm the level consistently, add to my productivity, and be useful to the team in big matches.
"Individual Trophies Grow Out of Team Play"
— How important is the collective in the chase for individual awards?
— Crucial. A winger is revealed through tempo and synchronization with teammates: line-breaking passes, automated patterns in positional attacks, pressing triggers. When the system works, it’s easier to showcase your best qualities—dribbling, acceleration, runs in behind defenders, the finishing touch. Team progress always pulls individual results upward.
"Continuous Upgrade Is the Only Strategy"
— What exactly are you improving in your game right now?
— Concentration in key episodes and efficiency in the final phase: the final pass and finishing. Also decision-making under pressure, finding positions between the lines, timing runs into space, and work on my strong and ‘non-dominant’ foot. It’s a daily routine without which talk about individual trophies loses its meaning.
Lamine Yamal sounds not like a dreamer but like an athlete with a clear method: the goal is multiple Ballon d'Or awards; the tool is systematic work and ruthless self-criticism. For him the summit is not a picture on a wall but a step toward the next ascent. It is precisely this approach that turns lofty ambitions from big words into a career plan.
