No. 13 Minnesota Eliminates No. 4 UCLA To Join Oklahoma In Final Four
Minnesota takes down UCLA to join Oklahoma in NCAA Gymnastics Final Four!
Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona is inspired by Neymar and LeBron James ahead of the Champions League match against Atlético Madrid. He aims to replicate their historic comebacks as Barcelona seeks to advance to the semi-finals.
MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 13: Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona speaks during the Press Conference ahead of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second Leg match against Atletico de Madrid at Estadio Riyadh Air Metropolitano on April 13, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Barcelona will attempt on Tuesday a massive comeback against Atlético Madrid to reach the Champions League semi-finals, and the team’s best player is drawing inspiration from some of the greats.
Lamine Yamal spoke to the press on Monday to give his thoughts on the match, and he was asked about two of his idols in Neymar and LeBron James. Neymar was one of the stars of the most famous Champions League comeback of all-time, Barça’s 6-1 win over PSG, while LeBron was the author of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ historic 2016 NBA title run in which they overcame a 3-1 deficit against a historic Golden State Warriors team to win the Finals.
Yamal explained how much Neymar means to him as a player, and also revealed why he chose a famous LeBron picture — which has become a meme among Barça fans on social media over the last week — to help inspire the team’s comeback attempt on Tuesday.
“I’ve watched the 6-1 game [against PSG] many times, I saw it live. Neymar has been a huge part of my childhood, he’s my idol and I’ll always be grateful for what he’s given to football. He inspires us all. You pay for a ticket to see him and two or three days after the match you’d watch it again just to see his plays. I want to thank him for everything he’s given to football and I hope he can be at the World Cup.”
“LeBron is one of the role models who can inspire me for tomorrow’s game, and that’s why I’ve included him. I’ll think about how he did it, and hopefully, I can do the same. We have a lot of players on the team; I consider myself just one of them, and I’m not the only one.”
It’s so weird to see Yamal talk about what Neymar meant to him during his childhood, but Neymar’s time at Barça is already a decade old and Lamine was indeed just a kid at that time. You can see Neymar’s style, flair and playmaking ability in everything Yamal does, so it’s not a surprise to see such reverence from the teenager.
As for the LeBron stuff, there’s not a comeback story in any sport this century that is better than the 2016 Cavs, so that’s a pretty good team — and player — to use as inspiration.
Lamine Yamal expressed that Neymar is a significant inspiration for him as a player, particularly due to Neymar's role in Barcelona's famous comeback against PSG.
Yamal draws inspiration from LeBron James' 2016 NBA Finals comeback, where the Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit, paralleling Barcelona's current challenge against Atlético Madrid.
The match is crucial as Barcelona aims to make a massive comeback to reach the Champions League semi-finals, making it a pivotal moment in their season.
Minnesota takes down UCLA to join Oklahoma in NCAA Gymnastics Final Four!
John Leonard signs one-year extension with the Detroit Red Wings!
Hunter Goodman powers Rockies to a 3-2 win over Astros, ending a six-game skid.
Dudinha discusses her strong start with San Diego Wave and dreams of the 2027 Women's World Cup.
Avalanche set to open 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against Kings this Sunday.
Steve Kerr praises Stephen Curry's incredible performance against the Clippers
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.