With only two days to go before the match between Spain and Austria in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, the young talent Lamine Yamal gave a radio interview.
According to Marca , the Barcelona winger began his conversation with COPE by stating that he is «fully ready to play the full 90 minutes this Thursday.»
Regarding the criticism of «El Matador’s» performance in the first three matches of the tournament and the comparisons to the European Championship, Yamal reflected: «What is our level now? Is it the same as in the European Championship? I’ve often played well and come away empty-handed. In football, the essential thing is to win: if you play well, you feel satisfied; if you lose, you leave disappointed. We can improve and we are more capable than we have shown, but what do you prefer? To play like the Netherlands and be eliminated, or like Paraguay and celebrate advancing to the next round?»
The young winger recalled the difficult weeks of recovery from injury before returning and scoring against Saudi Arabia: «I was immensely happy; I had never experienced such joy. The World Cup is a unique tournament, and I was thrilled to be able to return to the field. I always compete with the goal of winning the title, and I believe that this year I have what it takes to win the World Cup.»
Regarding the atmosphere at the training camp, Yamal reassured the fans: «We know we can give our best, but we must take it one step at a time until we reach our full potential. We’re all in good shape and we must maintain our confidence: the decisive moments have already begun; what we’ve done so far doesn’t matter, and if we play well from now on, nobody will remember the beginning.»
He acknowledged that he doesn’t let criticism affect him except when he plays well, and assured that the pressure of leading the Spanish attack doesn’t worry him: «I know I’m the player who generates the most expectation and who can change the course of matches. The pressure only appears when things don’t go as expected, but I’m prepared for that.»
Regarding the boos, he accepts that it’s part of the game and commented: «I’m not like Pedri, who enjoys everyone’s admiration. Win or lose, there will always be those who praise me or criticize me. Even Messi and Cristiano have faced boos; that’s football.»
At the end of the interview, Yamal answered a few quick questions, choosing Vinicius Júnior and Moroccan Ismail Saibari as the most outstanding stars of the World Cup.
There was also a humorous moment: when asked about his teammate Marc Cucurella’s signing for Real Madrid, Yamal joked: «I already told him he’ll be a starter from day one, and that’s all, because on the field I’m going to eat him alive.»
