Tennis star Rafael Nadal has given advice to Barcelona rising teenager Lamine Yamal.
Yamal made his Barcelona debut at only 16 and quickly achieved historic success, winning major awards like the Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy by the age of 18.
Nadal told Movistar, "He should surround himself with people who truly support him and who are smart enough to listen to what successful people prefer to ignore. He should surround himself with people who genuinely want his happiness, and he should know how to listen to them, which isn’t always easy when you are such a famous personality, in the spotlight. It’s important for him, given his young age.”
Nadal became famous at a very young age, turning professional at 14 and winning his first French Open just after turning 19.
The tennis star further adviced the young football sensation, “There are many paths to success, but the way you handle it and live with it over the years can make you a balanced and happy person, or on the contrary, success can make you unhappy, because fame eventually ends up consuming you."
This isn’t the first time a tennis legend has offered advice, as Wimbledon great Boris Becker also warned Barcelona’s teenage star about the challenges that come with early stardom.
The tennis prodigy said at that time, “Pick your friends, trust your family, build up a network of security that once you finish your football you're not going to make the obvious mistakes.”
In recent days, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding Yamal's injury and when he will return to play but there is no confirmed information on the matter yet.
