"I've never seen anything like this in my life" - Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane makes claim about Barcelona's Lamine Yamal

Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane made a major claim about Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal in a recent interview. The French icon specifically praised Yamal for his performance against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

Barcelona were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after a 7-6 aggregate loss to Inter Milan earlier this month. However, Lamine Yamal was applauded for his performance across both legs. He scored once in the first leg, but was exceptional in the second leg despite not finding the net. He delivered one key pass and had five shots on target in the game.

In an interview as quoted by MARCA (h/t Ojogo), the former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane waxed lyrical about the 17-year-old. He applauded the teenager's performance against Inter Milan in the UCL semi-final second leg, and said:

"When you see him play, for example, in the [Champions League] semi-finals against Inter... I've never seen anything like that in my life. He's someone who has so much control on the pitch... It's fabulous to see him like that. We all have fun with him and that's why, for all the young players, Lamine is the player to look at."

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Lamine Yamal has been exceptional for Barcelona this season, recording 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 outings across competitions. The Spaniard has been lauded as one of the best players in the world and is a contender for the 2025 Ballon d'Or.

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When Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal made feelings clear about beating Real Madrid

In an interview with ESPN after Barcelona's 4-3 win over Real Madrid in LaLiga (May 11), Lamine Yamal spoke about beating the bitter rivals four times this season. The Catalans have been in exceptional form this campaign, beating Los Blancos twice in LaLiga and both the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey finals.

"It doesn't feel good when Madrid beat you. It's true we didn't beat them last year, we suffered, and this year we gave everything to turn it around. We don't have that fear of them that maybe other teams have against them. So we gave it our all," Yamal said.

The 17-year-old La Masia graduate added:

"We feel like we're better than every other team, that's the mentality we go out with. I think that's how you have to play against them. You have to show up like you're the better team and enjoy yourself, that's it."

Lamine Yamal has either scored or assisted in every game against Real Madrid this season, recording three goals and two assists against their bitter rivals. After scoring his first goal against Real Madrid in October in LaLiga last year, Yamal hit Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic 'calma' celebration at the Bernabeu.

About the author

Pratyasha is a Pop Culture and a European Football writer for Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and has over 3 years of experience in the pop culture industry. Throughout her career, Pratyasha has always emphasized detailed background checks, and believes in verifying all information regardless of how correct it may seem.

Pratyasha is an ardent admirer of Lionel Messi and has followed his journey since she was a kid; he inspires her with his dedication and humility. She has grown up watching, living, and breathing Satyajit Ray's cinema, which she believes is timeless. She loves Taylor Swift’s music and thinks she's a lyrical genius, and also admires Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Deepika Padukone.

When Pratyasha's off the clock, she enjoys reading books and listening to music. During the football season, she is usually busy watching football matches late at night when Barcelona are playing.

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Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar