Lamine Yamal Spills Behind the Spotlight: Cooking Fails and Cartoonish Charisma at Barça

Behind the Spotlight: A Normal Day for Barça’s Rising Star

Lamine Yamal, the young Barcelona winger, says he strives to live his daily life as normally as possible away from the limelight.

In an ESPN interview, he admits he even quit cooking lessons because he was terrible; his best dish remains chicken with potatoes.

The teenage star described a typical day off as ordinary: hanging out with friends, looking after his brother, playing PlayStation, and going for a walk.

He explained his approach to pressure: he tries not to obsess about football outside the pitch, focusing on friends and enjoying the day; when on the field he gives his all, but outside he tries to disconnect completely.

He imagined what a day would look like if he weren’t famous: breakfast outdoors, a park football match at the Rockafonda center, then a bike or scooter ride with friends—normal, simple things.

He even recalled childhood entertainment, playing with Pokémon cards because video games were scarce, noting how cards cost about one euro.

He named "Zygarde" as his favorite Pokémon, and he gave nicknames to teammates: Dani Olmo as Pikachu due to his blond hair, and Szczęsny as Charizard because of his charisma.

Punchline: If fame were a recipe, he’s still figuring out the timing—mostly the toaster stays quiet and the toast survives the day.

Punchline: He may not own the kitchen, but he surely owns the locker room—passes, jokes, and a smile that outshines any oven timer.