Lamine Yamal opens up about 'false' rumours that circulate about him

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FT Desk

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal is maturing in that he doesn't react to "false" rumours about himself anymore.

The World Cup winner has faced significant media scrutiny because of his rapid rise to fame at such a young age. He became a Barcelona first-team player at 15 and played a major role for Spain at Euro 2024 when he was only 16. As a result, the media have placed huge expectations on him, with frequent comparisons to Lionel Messi and debate over whether he could become the best player in the world.

He has also attracted attention for his personality, celebrations and comments, with some media outlets portraying his confidence as arrogance. His private life has also received considerable coverage, particularly surrounding his 18th birthday and relationships.

Alongside this, Yamal has experienced racist abuse online and in stadiums, adding another layer to the pressure he faces.

Yamal may only be 19 now, but his experience in the public eye has led to him developing a thick skin.

"When I was younger, I didn't understand," he explained to L'Equipe.

"I didn't understand because most of the controversies or rumours circulating about me are false. It has always been like that with me! I used to say to myself, 'But I didn't do that, why are they saying that?'"

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He says that, as long as he can explain to his mother that some stories that feature his name may be false, he is content.

"I realised that in the end, what sells about me, even when I don't do anything, is inventing things to be able to talk about them," he continued.

"So now, I take it like this: 'Well, I didn't know I did that, but hey, it doesn't matter!'. I always make sure my mother is calm, that she knows I didn't do it, that it's false. And if that's the case, it doesn't bother me."

Since May of 2026, he has been in a relationship with Spanish content creator Ines Garcia, who has been seen supporting him at various Barcelona and Spain matches.

After La Roja won the World Cup, she later entered the pitch for the celebrations alongside her boyfriend.