Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation, revealed details of his plan to convince Lamine Yamal, the young Barcelona star, to represent the Spanish national team. Rubiales affirmed that he put a special strategy in place since the player was twelve years old to ensure his joining “La Roja.”
The Spanish newspaper “Sport” mentioned that Lamine Yamal has become one of the most prominent football stars in the world despite his young age, and many see him as the best player in the world currently. The young striker is also considered an icon for Barcelona and Spanish national team fans, and he tops the headlines of newspapers and sports programs.
Lamine Yamal’s name has resurfaced again after his exclusion from the Spanish national team list during the current international break, due to his continuous suffering from hernia pains, in a new chapter of tension between his club and his country’s national team.
Rubiales, who was previously convicted in a sexual assault case, spoke about the circumstances of Yamal’s joining the Spanish national teams in an interview with the program “El Chiringuito,” boasting about his role in the process, and stressing that he was the one who developed the plan that allowed the Spanish Federation to include the Barcelona talent in its youth categories.
Rubiales said: “When Lamine was 12 years old, officials from the youth categories in the Spanish Federation came to me and said: (There is a player we have to follow). I asked them: With only 12 years old, do you see him with these capabilities? They said: Yes, we see it clearly, but his mother is from one country and his father is from another, while he was born here. So they asked me to put a direct action plan in place, and that’s what I did.”
The former president of the Federation explained that the plan was simple but effective, adding: “I asked them to go whenever they wanted to talk to his parents, to always stay close to the player, and to make him feel the desire to wear the Spanish national team jersey.”
He continued: “Yamal, for his part, provided everything necessary from the beginning, and we made at least 4 or 5 trips to communicate with his family and follow him closely.”
In conclusion, Rubiales stressed the importance of the efforts made behind the scenes within the Spanish Federation, saying: “There is hidden work that no one sees, and sometimes it does not bear fruit, but we in the Spanish Federation worked hard and expanded resources for both women’s and men’s teams, in order to discover and follow talents throughout the country.”
Barcelona Breathes a Sigh of Relief
Barcelona felt relieved after receiving a positive medical report from a Belgian expert specializing in the muscular condition of their young star Lamine Yamal, who is one of the team’s most important talents and most valuable players currently.
The Catalan club was keen to take all necessary measures to follow the player’s condition accurately, after the coaching staff, led by German Hans Flick, saw the need to ascertain the developments of his recent injury.
According to the Spanish newspaper “Mundo Deportivo,” Barcelona sought to obtain a reliable opinion on this matter, so they sought the help of a Belgian doctor who is one of the most prominent specialists in the treatment of groin muscle injuries (sports hernia).
This doctor is considered one of the well-known names globally in this field, as he has previously dealt with more than 3,000 similar cases among athletes, especially football and basketball players.
Dr. Pruna, the head of the medical staff of the Barcelona team, took direct coordination with the Belgian doctor, where he supervised the examination of Yamal’s condition and followed up on his recovery process from the beginning, to ensure that the treatment program is applied in the best way.
The newspaper revealed that the Belgian doctor expressed his complete satisfaction with the player’s physical condition, confirming that the young striker is in good condition, and that the program developed by the club’s medical staff in terms of physical rehabilitation and physiotherapy is proceeding on the right track, with a clear and noticeable improvement in his condition.
The Belgian expert confirmed in his conversation with the Barcelona staff that the most important thing about treating groin muscle injuries is discovering them early and starting intensive treatment during the early stages, which is what happened with Lamine Yamal, which makes the situation reassuring.
However, the Belgian doctor stressed at the same time the need for the player’s full commitment to the instructions of doctors and coaches to maintain his high level and avoid any future relapse.
In Barcelona, there is no concern about the physical condition of Lamine Yamal, especially since he has been performing well in recent weeks after his modest performance against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Despite this, the club wanted to get the opinion of a global expert to strengthen confidence in the current treatment plan and ensure the best possible follow-up for its young talent.
In the same context, coach Hans Flick spoke during the press conference that preceded the match against Celta Vigo about the development of the player’s mentality and discipline, saying: “Lamine has changed his discipline, and he is better now, he works hard both on the field and in the gym, and it is very important for this injury to continue in this approach.”
With these positive evaluations from the Belgian doctor, Barcelona feels reassured about Yamal’s condition, who continues to work hard on and off the field to maintain his physical readiness and continue to provide the best he has with the Catalan team.
