Lamine Yamal recently made history by securing the Golden Boy 2024 Award on a margin never seen before.
Although Yamal was crowned the Golden Boy in late November, he could not attend the gala due to multiple reasons.
Instead, Massimo Franchi, a representative from the Italian newspaper, personally delivered the Golden Boy award to Lamine in Barcelona on Sunday.
Yamal after Golden Boy triumph
In the wake of the formal handover of the trophy, Yamal talked about various topics including his prospects at Barcelona and comparisons to Neymar.
“I was very happy to be able to receive the award in front of the fans,” he began (h/t Diario SPORT).
“I try to just think about playing and enjoying myself to help my team. But it’s funny because there are players who are older than my father.”
Yamal sees himself at Barcelona in the years to come (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Looking ahead, Lamine outlined his vision and commitment to Barcelona.
“In five years I imagine myself at Barça, the club of my life, winning all possible titles. Hopefully, the Champions League, which is the title everyone wants to win. And with the national team, win the World Cup,” he said.
Yamal also talked about comparisons with former Barcelona superstar Neymar, something Joan Laporta had emphasised on.
“Neymar is one of the best wingers that Barça has had and he was one of my childhood idols. Hopefully, those parallels are true,” he said.
Yamal’s triumph at the Golden Boy gala reinforces Barcelona’s position as one of the prime destinations for youngsters, with the likes of Gavi and Pedri also winning the prestigious award in recent years.
Barcelona will hope Pau Cubarsi can follow suit next year, as the young defensive prodigy is already leading his competitors in early voting trends.