Fermín López: I'm not Xavi or Iniesta, and Messi is my only regret at Barcelona!
Behind the scenes of his friendship with Lamine Yamal
From the obscurity of third-division pitches to the heart of the Barcelona squad, Fermin Lopez's rise was no ordinary climb. It was the explosion of a talent that refused to be confined within the mould of the legends.
In a candid interview with global magazine "GQ Hype", the Andalusian held nothing back. He settled the debate over his comparison with Xavi and Iniesta, confessed his greatest regret at never sharing a pitch with Lionel Messi, and revealed the secret behind his magical understanding with Lamine Yamal.
Lopez (23) fronts the latest issue of the famous magazine. He spoke with complete transparency about how he handled the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup with Spain, called up before injury ruled him out, and about his ambitions in his new season with the Blaugrana.
On the endless comparisons with the club's legends, Lopez was clear: he wants to carve out his own path. He said: "I consider myself somewhat different from Xavi and Andres, as they are unmatched and there is no room for comparison between them".
"I am always closer to the penalty area, I like direct play, and I always look to score goals," he added. "I have always had a good relationship with scoring goals, and this year I am enjoying it more than ever before".
Asked about his role models in football, he did not hesitate to name two big names, expressing deep regret at never getting to play alongside them: "I couldn't play with Andres, and I never will because he retired, but I wished for it so much".
"I still feel some regret over the match that we could have played in Qatar, which was not held," he continued. "I wished I could have shared the pitch with Lionel Messi". He also described the tennis star Rafael Nadal as "a role model for all Spaniards".
Fermin recalled the memories of his meteoric rise, describing the moment he reached the first team as "extremely moving": "I came from Linares, which was a completely different world from Barcelona's first team, and walking into a dressing room with Ter Stegen, Lewandowski, Pedri, and many other players of this level".
The partnership with Lamine Yamal drew nothing but praise: "It is very easy to play alongside him. He is the best, and if you play with players of this quality, football becomes easier".
He also spoke about the wonderful atmosphere within the Spanish national team, explaining: "I think we all get together, but I always have a small group with Alex Baena, and with Grimaldo, and with Cucurella, and with the Barcelona players Lamine and Pedri, but I would say that I get along well with everyone and we are all one group".
The Barcelona star signed off by revealing his dreams away from the pitch: "As the years go by, I would like to start a family, for my family to always be in good health, and to build my own house, my own living environment".
