Yamal: everyone knows I’m different, and I asked my father to delete my photo with Messi….see more

Lamine Yamal continues to underline his lofty ambitions.

The Barcelona and Spain star revealed a firm conviction that he has, for some time, been performing at a level worthy of the Ballon d’Or, insisting that winning the world title and everything else he has achieved have done nothing to dampen his hunger for more individual glory.

The Barcelona star reflected on the atmosphere of the World Cup final. He never wanted it to end. “We were in the World Cup final, and I wanted to keep going. I never thought: blow the final whistle, I was enjoying it.”

He explained: “The full-back is like a robot trying to stop me. Robots are almost perfect, but a human being has something a robot does not.

Football has become mechanical, but there are players who possess that special spark.”