Barcelona star Lamine Yamal reveals ruthless winning mentality: ‘Win, win, win, always’
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Lamine Yamal is only 19, but his ambitions already extend far beyond what he has achieved with Barcelona.
In an interview with L’Equipe (h/t Mundo Deportivo), the Barça forward offered a revealing insight into the mentality that has helped him establish himself among the world’s elite.
Yamal does not just believe he can compete with the best; he approaches every challenge expecting to win, even when the odds appear completely against him.
Lamine can beat anyone
His example involving Olympic legend Michael Phelps perhaps sums him up better than anything else.
Asked about the confidence that drives him, Yamal made it clear that self-doubt does not form part of his thinking.
“I never doubt myself. Well, I always joke with my friends: ‘If I had to compete, for example, if I went to the swimming pool and had to face Michael Phelps, I’d say to him: “I’m going to beat you, for sure.’”
That mindset has not stopped Yamal from recognising the areas where he still needs to improve. Finishing has been one of the clearest targets, particularly as his role at Barcelona has become increasingly decisive.
Lamine Yamal works with a strong mentality. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Explaining the part of his game he has worked hardest on, Yamal said, “Yes, that was an area I needed to improve on.
“Perhaps I performed well between midfield and the box, but maybe I was missing something else, and I think I’m improving in that regard. And you can tell,” he said.
The teenager also believes previous setbacks, such as the Champions League semi-final defeat to Inter Milan in 2025, have accelerated his development.
Winning the European Championship at a young age could have made elite football appear deceptively simple, but the Champions League and difficult defeats provided a different education.
“As for experience. When you see a lad go to the European Championship and win it at the first attempt, you think: ‘Wow, football’s so easy.’
“But when you play in the Champions League with Barça, you realise just how difficult it all is. Added to that is the experience of defeat.
“I think you learn more from defeat than from victory. I’ve grown as a footballer and, every year, I mature a little more.”
Lamine has learned from injury and setbacks
Yamal admits that his development has been more obvious on the pitch than away from it. At 19, he still sees himself as a young player, but the physical demands of elite football have forced him to become more professional.
“More so in football terms. I’m still just a lad, you know. You change after several years in football; your way of thinking changes. In football terms, I hope to improve every year.
“I also suffered from groin pain; that affects you, it changes you a bit, but little by little I’m recovering and trying to be more professional,” he recalled.
The Barcelona forward has learned a lot from his past experiences. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The injury also changed the way Yamal approaches his preparation. Rather than assuming his body will always cope with the demands placed upon it, he now understands the importance of recovery and prevention.
“You think: ‘I’m just a lad, nothing can happen to me, I can’t get injured, I’m like a bit of plastic’, you know?
“Well, I realised that’s not the case; you’ve got to look after yourself. All of that helped me become the person I am today. I always try to go to the physio, go to bed early and eat better.”
He wants to keep winning with Barcelona
For all the maturity he has shown, the most striking part of the interview remains how far Yamal believes he can take his career.
Three La Liga titles are already in his collection, but the Barcelona star sees that as the beginning rather than the achievement of a career.
Explaining why he refuses to become satisfied, Yamal said, “You can always go further. I’ve won three league titles and, in my mind, I want to win seven or eight, at the very least.
“I hope to win many more. I haven’t won the Champions League yet; I want to win it. And if I win one, knowing that PSG won two in a row, I want to win three in a row. ‘And if I don’t win the Ballon d’Or, I’ll have to win it the following year.
“And if I do win it, I want to win five more. I think you can never stop; you can always keep winning again and again.
“Later on, when I’m sitting at home with my children, I want to say to them: ‘Now it’s your turn; I’ve already done a lot.’ That’s my mindset: win, win, win, always. And if I don’t win, see you next year,” he concluded.