Barcelona and Spain winger, Lamine Yamal has opened up on what truly drives him on the football pitch, insisting that money has never been his motivation for playing the game. 

Speaking in a new interview with The Guardian on Saturday, the 19-year-old made clear that his love for football, rather than wealth or personal statistics, remains at the heart of his approach to the sport.

“I don’t play football for money, I play because I like it,” Yamal said, in comments that quickly went viral across football social media.

The teenager went further, taking what many have read as a pointed jab at players who obsess over numbers rather than the game itself.

He argued that footballers who fixate on padding their goals and assists tallies end up losing sight of what makes the sport special, stressing that his own satisfaction comes from creativity and setting up teammates rather than chasing personal milestones. Given his season-long rivalry with players known for prioritising individual output, notably Kylian Mbappe, several observers have interpreted the remarks as a subtle dig at that style of play, even though Yamal did not name anyone directly.

The comments arrive at a high point in Yamal’s young career. He is coming off a sensational season with Barcelona, in which he scored 24 goals and provided 18 assists while helping the club to the La Liga title, and he has just returned from Spain’s triumphant run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

He remains one of the leading contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with speculation over the award only growing since his exploits at the World Cup.

In the same interview, Yamal also recalled a personal moment with Argentine great Lionel Messi, revealing that he approached his idol simply to thank him for everything he has done for the sport. He described the gesture as spontaneous rather than staged for public attention, saying the moment came from within after he saw Messi nearby.

For Yamal, the underlying message remains consistent: football, for him, is about enjoyment, creativity and the happiness of the fans watching, rather than a race for statistics or financial reward.

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