Lamine Yamal’s new LeBron James-inspired goal celebration has sparked a “boastful” backlash against the Barcelona wonderkid from the Spanish media.
Talented teenager starring for club & countryHas taken inspiration from basketball GOATIs attracting criticism amid ego warningsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Having enjoyed a meteoric rise, with plaudits raining down on the teen sensation, his every move is now being dissected in minute detail. Yamal’s behaviour on and off the field is falling under the brightest of spotlights.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The youngster plays with a smile on his face and is clearly a fan of superstar performers in other sports. Basketball GOAT LeBron continues to inspire millions around the world as he emulates Cristiano Ronaldo by performing at the highest level beyond his 40th birthday.
DID YOU KNOW?
Yamal has taken to celebrating goals by placing what appears to be an imaginary crown on his head – much like James does with the LA Lakers. His actions have caused quite a stir in Spain, where ego warnings are being sounded on a regular basis.
According to , the Spanish press consider Yamal’s celebration to be “boastful” and “not fitting for a young role model”.
GettyWHAT DE LA FUENTE SAID
Those working with Yamal have attempted to calm that discussion. Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has said: “To me, the celebration was not crowning himself. It looked like him putting on a magician’s hat. I told myself while watching the TV: ‘Well, the kid has done another magic trick’. That’s how I understood it.”
He added: “We tend to highlight the more shallow aspects about athletes, and what we should be highlighting to the next generation is that this kid (Yamal), who made his (Spain) debut at 16 years old, works like nobody else.
“He’s always taken care of himself with top standards. He has an outstanding talent, but he trains six hours per day, goes to the gym, does the treatments with physios and everything we call ‘invisible training’. Everything Lamine has achieved is not because he threw a birthday party, or because the way he celebrates a goal. No. Those are meaningless details. What we need to highlight is the work he puts in to make this happen.”
