Barcelona's 17-year-old international player Lamine Yamal stated on Antena 3's 'El Hormiguero' on Thursday that he never wants to leave the club, expressing his desire to become a "Barça legend."

"I never want to leave Barça; I want to be a legend here," Yamal said. Reflecting on his debut, he recalled, "I arrived early, hid until everyone else went out, and then I followed. The first half of my debut match was terrible, but in the second half, I scored and assisted Ansu" (Fati).

Regarding his nomination for the Ballon d'Or, Yamal remarked: "We were with the national team when Nico's (Williams) name came up first, then mine. I don't think I have any chance of winning it, though."

He also reflected on Spain's Euro victory: "Since the Euros, people are happy, and I see smiles everywhere. It's a dream come true."

When asked about the future of Athletic Club player Nico Williams, Yamal said: "I’d love to play with him every week, of course."

Yamal also spoke about handling fame: "My mom keeps me grounded; she's the one who manages my agent."

When asked about comparisons to Lionel Messi, Yamal said: "Being compared to the greatest in history... it feels nice, but I want to be myself, and reaching that level is impossible." He also recalled a photo with Messi when he was a baby: "Maybe he passed me some of his powers... but I still have a long way to go. My mom told me it was from a raffle for a calendar, and we won. If it were today, wow..."

Addressing racism in football, Yamal said: "It's not worth saying anything, and I have nothing to respond to. We know our values, and it’s not worth it."

Additionally, he announced he will be president of a team in the Kings League, with the 2024/25 season starting on September 15. "I’m going to have a team in the Kings League. I love it, and I’m going to push them hard. I’ll build a team with my players, president, and coach. I’ll tell them to get moving," he added. EFE