France captain Kylian Mbappé has come forward in defense of Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, urging people to stop focusing on the youngster’s personal life and instead appreciate his passion for football.
In an interview with Movistar, Mbappé expressed his admiration for Yamal’s talent but also stressed the importance of protecting young players from unnecessary scrutiny. “You can see that Lamine has pure passion for football and that’s the only thing he doesn’t have to lose at all,” the French star said.
Yamal, who has rapidly emerged as one of Europe’s brightest prospects, has been under intense media attention both on and off the pitch. Mbappé believes that the 18-year-old deserves space to grow and make mistakes like any teenager. “People talk a lot about his personal life… they should leave him alone because he’s a great football player, but he’s just an 18-year-old boy who can also make mistakes,” Mbappé added.
