Holidays with women: Szczęsny defends Lamine Yamal

During his summer holidays, Lamine Yamal made headlines. The Spaniard was spotted in the company of several women, some even older than him. This situation has sparked concerns regarding the young prodigy's focus. Wojciech Szczęsny, however, sees things differently.

Between vacations with Neymar and a string of romantic encounters, Lamine Yamal has raised some eyebrows among Barça fans this summer. They worry that the Spanish sensation could follow in the footsteps of his Brazilian predecessor and lose sight of his footballing priorities. Addressing the situation, his teammate Wojciech Szczęsny sought to put minds at ease.

"People say Neymar could have achieved much more in football if he had a different mindset. But if Neymar had approached football and life differently, he wouldn't have been the Neymar we know—the showman. I believe that with personalities like his, you shouldn't try to hold them back too much. Let them enjoy football, because that joy isn't just contagious for their teammates: it inspires millions around the world. But I also think it's more up to Lamine Yamal's environment than to him personally. He's only 17. He has the right, maybe even the need, to make youthful mistakes. Hopefully, if he does, there won't be any major consequences. But his entourage will definitely play a crucial role for him," the player told the Barcelona media.

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.