Lamine Yamal's Birthday Wishlist Reveals His Total Devotion to Barcelona
The 18-year-old Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal has set his sights firmly on Champions League glory as he outlines his ambitions for the coming year.
Although Yamal delivered outstanding performances in both matches of last season's semifinal clash with Inter Milan, he was unable to guide Barcelona to the final. The Spanish club hasn't claimed Europe's premier football prize since the team featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar Jr. triumphed over Juventus in Berlin ten years ago. Yamal was merely seven years old then.
After the heartbreaking 6–7 aggregate loss to Inter, Yamal stated: "We will continue fighting until we restore this club to its rightful position—at the summit. I will honor my commitment and deliver it back to Barcelona. We will persist until we achieve our goal."
Celebrating his 18th birthday, Barcelona's consistent record-setter was asked about his wishes as he prepares to blow out his birthday candles. "Now that I'm 18, I want everything I possessed at 16 or 17, along with the trophy that still eludes me, and naturally, the World Cup," he shared with the club's official social media platform. "The Champions League, that's what's missing from my collection," Yamal emphasized for complete clarity.
Though he only officially reached adulthood on Sunday, the teenage marvel has already collected a remarkable array of trophies. Following his role in Spain's European Championship victory last year, Yamal was crucial to Barcelona's domestic treble achievement in 2024–25.
At just 18, the winger has already accumulated 127 senior matches. This figure significantly exceeds the limited numbers that Lionel Messi (nine) and Cristiano Ronaldo (19) had achieved at the same age, and also surpasses some of football's greatest young talents; Pelé (who recorded 78 matches before his 18th birthday) and Diego Maradona (95).
"My mentality drives me to compete and succeed," Yamal emphasized. "I'm not considering that I have many playing years ahead. I want victory now, and I'll dedicate everything to achieve it.
"To all the culers [supporters], we'll be present, we'll battle. We will certainly return the Champions League to our home, and I'm pursuing the World Cup as well."
Despite his best efforts, even Barcelona's lightning-fast star cannot accelerate soccer's timeline. When the 2026 World Cup final takes place, Yamal will have reached the mature age of 19.