Lamine Yamal continues to underline his lofty ambitions. The Barcelona and Spain star revealed a firm conviction that he has, for some time, been performing at a level worthy of the Ballon d'Or, insisting that winning the world title and everything else he has achieved have done nothing to dampen his hunger for more individual glory.
Yamal spoke to British newspaper "The Guardian", in comments carried by "Marca", during his first camp with Spain after winning the second star. He set out his view of football, his thinking on the pitch, his personal ambitions and the life that shaped the man he is today.
Yamal: I was enjoying it until the final whistle
The Barcelona star reflected on the atmosphere of the World Cup final. He never wanted it to end. "We were in the World Cup final, and I wanted to keep going. I never thought: blow the final whistle, I was enjoying it."
He explained: "The full-back is like a robot trying to stop me. Robots are almost perfect, but a human being has something a robot does not. Football has become mechanical, but there are players who possess that special spark."
Referring to the move that ended with Ferran Torres's goal against Argentina, he added: "I try to play against opponents, and to make it hard for them to deal with me in a mechanical way."
The Messi photo: "I wanted to be Lamine"
Then there is the famous photo, the one showing Yamal as a baby alongside Lionel Messi. It stayed secret for 17 years at his request, and he never wanted it to become a permanent burden of comparisons.
"I asked my father to delete it from Facebook," he said. "The comparisons were far too easy, and I wanted to be Lamine, I did not want to be Messi."
Yamal: my level has qualified me for the Ballon d'Or for a while
Individual ambition is something Yamal makes no attempt to hide. He believes the time has come for the recognition he feels he has earned.
He said: "In all honesty, it is not just about this year, I have been performing at Ballon d'Or level for a longer time. Everyone knows I am a different player."
Bold words from a 19-year-old who has become one of the biggest stars in world football at a remarkably early age.
The difficult past: a source of strength for Yamal
Success came young, but Yamal insists that growing up in the Rocafonda neighbourhood kept him humble. It gave him a different perspective on life, far from football's glare.
He said: "In football there is no fear. I saw my mother struggle so that I could play, and I saw my father collect scrap in the streets so that I could eat. That is fear. Now, if I need to help my family, I can do that."
That is why he refuses to let his triumphs breed arrogance. "I would never say: who are you? I have won the World Cup. Only stupid people have this mentality. I know that football represents only 0.000001% of life."
Between the street and Barcelona's academy
His style, Yamal believes, is a blend of two schools: the football he learned on the streets of his neighbourhood and the football drilled into him at Barcelona's academy.
He explained: "Barcelona gives you control and footballing intelligence. In the park there is no footballing intelligence, you go to take on your opponent and then come back. I have both together."
What keeps him tied to the game? "I do not play for money, I play for enjoyment. When I get the ball and feel people rising from their seats in the stadium, you feel stronger than anyone else. You feel like Superman or Spider-Man."