Kylian Mbappé has spoken out against the intense scrutiny surrounding Lamine Yamal, urging critics to “leave him alone” and praising the young Barcelona and Spain star as a “great talent.”
Lamine, aged 18, recently won the Kopa Trophy for the world’s best under-21 player for the second year in a row, but has come under fire regarding his personal life.
Tensions have also arisen between Barça and the national team over his fitness, as he was initially included in Spain’s squad for the current international break, only to be withdrawn by his club following coach Hansi Flick’s criticism of Spain’s management of his injury.
“You can see that [Lamine] has a true passion for football, and that’s what he mustn’t lose,” Mbappé told Jorge Valdano in an interview set to air on Movistar Sunday.
“The rest is just his life. People are talking about his private matters, but I believe they should allow him some peace.”
So far this season, Lamine has contributed two goals and three assists for Barça in LaLiga during his third campaign as a first-team regular, having made his debut in the league at age 15 back in 2023.
Mbappé, who also rose to stardom at a young age, made his first appearance in Ligue 1 with Monaco at just 16 years old.
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“[Lamine] is an outstanding player, but in life, he’s still just an 18-year-old kid,” Mbappé remarked. “At 18, everyone makes mistakes. He’ll navigate his own life. We should only focus on what he accomplishes on the field; the rest isn’t significant unless it impacts him seriously. He possesses immense talent.”
Currently, Mbappé is on international duty with France, who have a match against Azerbaijan on Friday, despite dealing with a minor ankle sprain he sustained during Real Madrid’s recent LaLiga victory over Villarreal last Saturday.