Lamine Yamal clings to the Spanish national team.
The young Spanish star Lamine Yamal renewed his commitment to representing the Spanish national team instead of the Moroccan team, stating that he feels no regret about this choice, even after facing anti-Muslim chants during one of the matches.
In a lengthy interview with the program "El Larguero" on the Spanish radio station "Cadena SER," Yamal was asked about his feelings when he chose to defend Spain's colors over Morocco, especially after the chants targeting Muslims during the match between Spain and Egypt in the World Cup.
The player said: "The chants were anti-Muslim, and I believe that all Senegalese of Spanish descent, Moroccans, and Spaniards in general would feel offended. But I do not regret my decision, and I still prefer Spain. If I could go back in time, I would choose Spain again."
Yamal clarified that he refuses to generalize those behaviors to the entire Spanish community, adding: "I know that not all Spaniards were chanting those slogans, and many did not even understand the meaning of what they were saying. My parents raised me with certain values, while others were raised differently."
Despite his choice to represent the Spanish national team, the 18-year-old player confirmed that he still holds special feelings for the Moroccan team, noting that he continuously follows their matches during the World Cup. In this regard, he said: "I bet with my friends on Morocco in the match against the Netherlands. I predicted a draw (2-2) and then a decision by penalties, so I was very close to predicting the result."
Yamal added that the Moroccan team is one of the teams he enjoys watching the most in the tournament, alongside the teams of Ivory Coast and Japan. He also expressed his admiration for the Argentine team, admitting that the main reason for following them is the presence of Lionel Messi.
The player also highlighted that the French team has a remarkable group of players, while he chose the Ecuadorian team as the "dark horse" of the tournament, stating that they have great enthusiasm and he follows most of their matches.
Regarding his experience with the Spanish national team, Yamal acknowledged that he is still in the learning phase, confirming that international football is very different from club football. He said: "I am constantly learning, gaining experience, and figuring out how to recover from injuries. In the Cape Verde match, the ball seemed to me like a piece of marble, but now I see it normally and feel that I am in excellent condition, and I look forward to the next match."
The player also reflected on his beginnings, pointing out the significant difference between his current personality and the one he had two years ago when he gave his first media interview at the age of sixteen.
Full article is available on Hesspress Sports.
Read full article at Hesspress SportsSource: Hesspress Sports
Headline and excerpt shown under fair use with full credit. All rights remain with the original publisher.
