Lamine Yamal told 'not to worry about a former player who's a bit too fat' as Rafael van der Vaart reminds Spain & Barcelona wonderkid 'the world doesn't revolve around you'

Ex-Netherlands international Van der Vaart, who spent time in Spain during his playing days with Real Madrid, started a war of words when suggesting that Barcelona wonderkid Yamal is – at 17 years of age – beginning to believe his own hype and act slightly petulantly at times.

Yamal responded to that jibe after helping Spain to overcome Dutch opposition in the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals. He posted on social media, having been told that he is starting to wear his trousers “a little lower”: “Pants down, a goal, missed penalty AND IN THE SEMIFINALS HEHEHEHE GO SPAIN!”

Van der Vaart has entered the debate once more, telling Ziggo Sports of why his initial comments have been blown out of proportion: “I would advise him not to worry about a former player who is a bit too fat. It is completely unimportant. I mean well. When you're 17 and you get so much praise, you start to believe that the whole world revolves around you. We've all been there, but the world doesn't revolve around you. Football is fun, but not important. If you think you're God, you become a less fun person.”

Van der Vaart added on the reaction to his words, with Yamal clearly one of the hottest prospects in world football: “There (in Spain) people get angry. Nice and angry. I don't really care. The bomb exploded. But I was actually not aware of any wrongdoing. I said I see mannerisms, but they act like I think he's really bad. I think he's a great player. Hopefully he stays grounded.”

Yamal, who made his senior debut for Barca at the age of 15, has been breaking records on a regular basis across his promising career to date. He has already won Euro 2024, the Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy award, with more major honours up for grabs with club and country in 2025.