Spain manager Luis de la Fuente rejected the idea that Lamine Yamal was unprofessional in any way after a number of controversial incidents surrounding his personal life, citing the success tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz has had while still enjoying his time off the court.
Yamal, Barcelona’s prodigious winger, made headlines over the summer after throwing an extravagant 18th birthday party. The teenager was accused of hiring people with dwarfism purely for the purposes of entertainment and found himself facing legal action. The bizarre scenario escalated to the point where the Spanish government threatened to investigate the event.
Even when on the pitch, Yamal has been criticized by some for supposedly arrogant actions, such as mimicking putting a crown on his head when celebrating his first goal of the new La Liga campaign against Mallorca.
De La Fuente couldn’t disagree more strongly. “The celebration wasn’t about putting on a crown. It was a magician’s top hat,” he insisted. “I thought, ‘He’s back to his magic.’ Everyone can understand it as they wish. We have to value other things and not just highlight the frivolous.
“At 16, he was already working and taking care of himself like no one else, he trains a lot, and everything he’s achieved is thanks to that, not a party or a gesture. We have to value the work behind it.
“It’s the same as when you were talking about Alcaraz and when he went to Ibiza,” De la Fuente noted. “He’s working all day and, from time to time, he goes to Ibiza. But you don’t win matches because of that.”
Alcaraz has made little secret of his need to balance intense training with ample time off. After winning the 2024 French Open, the Spanish star took a group of friends to Ibiza to celebrate despite the advice of his coach. Alcaraz promptly returned refreshed for the grass court season and won Wimbledon. After defeating Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros to claim another title in Paris earlier this year, the 22-year-old went back to the Balearic islands and once again made it to the final at the All England Club.
While the comparison between Yamal and Alcaraz, two of Spain’s most exciting young athletes, is easy to make, they share contrasting allegiances. Alcaraz is a proud fan of Real Madrid and will no doubt have suffered as Yamal’s Barcelona romped to four consecutive Clásico wins last season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Spain Boss Defends Lamine Yamal With Carlos Alcaraz Comparison.