The praise for Lamine Yamal cannot be overstated. At just 17 years old, he has taken the soccer world by storm with his remarkable performance in the European campaign. Yet amidst this success, he remains grounded and deeply admires his idols—particularly Lionel Messi and Neymar. Recently, Yamal demonstrated his reverence for Neymar in a manner that caught the attention of the Al Hilal star’s former club Santos FC.

The Euro 2024 Young Player of the Tournament proudly shared a photograph wearing one of the Brazilian star’s iconic shirts from his tenure at Santos FC. The jersey belongs to a period during which Neymar earned significant accolades, including a Puskas Award, and cemented his legacy before moving to Barcelona.

Santos FC responded to this gesture by resharing Lamine Yamal’s photo on their official Instagram account and extending a heartfelt offer. The Brazilian club proposed gifting him a custom version of the classic jersey. In their caption, they wrote, “That shirt is even historical, Yamal. We will give it to you with the new Sacred Mantle.”

Additionally, Santos also extended an invitation to the Barcelona wonderkid for an exclusive visit to their club premises. The caption further stated, “If you prefer, you can come and take it at Vila Belmiro and take the opportunity to get to know the Sacred Temple of World Soccer during your vacation.” Santos FC ended the heartfelt request by adding, “Greetings in black and white, Child of the Village!”

Neymar has yet to acknowledge Lamine Yamal’s special gesture officially. However, the 32-year-old congratulated the Spaniard following Spain’s victory in the Euro 2024. He commented on the teenager’s celebratory Instagram post with an applauding emoji. Lamine Yamal wearing Neymar’s jersey is another testament to his deep admiration for the Brazilian star.

The constant growing admiration of Lamine Yamal for Neymar

Over time, Yamal has consistently expressed his profound respect for Neymar. Although he regards Lionel Messi as the greatest player in history, he finds watching the ex-Santos FC star more enjoyable. He once remarked, “Neymar made me go watch games, he made things fun for me. He was spectacular, it was nice to see him play.”

For the Barcelona winger, there is a clear delineation: while he reveres Messi as the best, it is Neymar’s playstyle that captivates him most. As Lamine Yamal continues his journey in soccer after a successful international stint, all eyes are now on him to replicate this success with the Catalan Giants and carve out his legacy within the sport.

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