“I think it’s just easier for you, you know?" - F1 champion Max Verstappen sends advice to Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal
Formula One driver Max Verstappen has sent advice to Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal. This comes after the 17-year-old winger helped Spain win Euro 2024, recording one goal and four assists in the tournament.
Yamal was crowned the Best Young Player of the Tournament and also became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the European Championships.
At the age of just 16, Yamal became a regular for Barcelona in the 2023-24 season, which led to comparisons with F1 star Max Verstappen. The Dutchman made his F1 debut at the age of 17 and has gone on to win three world titles with Red Bull.
Speaking after Yamal lifted the Euro trophy with La Roja, Verstappen said (via Barca Universal):
"Advice to Lamine? I think that when you are so young you play based on your talent, you have fun, and when you are very good, things are much easier for you. That doesn't mean you don't have to work hard because you still have to work hard to get to the top at such a young age."
The driver also discussed his own emergence in F1 as a teenager:
"But when you are very talented and gifted by nature, I think it's just easier for you, you know? And then, once you're good... you play for Barcelona, you play for the national team, this kind of thing, but in my case, I signed a contract with an F1 team, I was able to debut in F1 at the age of 17... You just try to enjoy, you try to do the best you can. And fortunately, things went very well."
Verstappen will be hoping to see Lamine Yamal continue to break records and shine on the international stage.
Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal has impressed since his emergence
Lamine Yamal has been one of the most exciting players in the world since breaking into European football. At the young age of 16, he cemented a first team spot in Xavi's Barcelona, playing 37 La Liga games, scoring five goals and providing eight assists.
In September 2023, Yamal was handed his international debut by Luis de la Fuente and has started nearly every match for Spain since then. When Euro 2024 came around, Lamine Yamal was widely expected to be a starter, and he exceeded expectations during the tournament.
After finishing the group stage with one assist, he took to the knockout stages in true form, providing a goal contribution per game until the final. The Barcelona youngster scored a world-class goal against France in the semi-finals, helping Spain come from behind to win. In the final against England, he assisted La Roja's first goal.