'Very self-destructive' – Luis de la Fuente sounds out Lamine Yamal warning as Spain boss hits back at Barcelona star's critics

Spain boss Luis de La Fuente has hit out at Lamine Yamal's critics, lamenting Spanish football's "self-destructive" tendencies.

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• De La Fuente: "We have to be cautious"
• Yamal had a quiet Nations League Final
• Teenager came in for criticism

• AFP
  

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  De La Fuente was responding to criticism levied at his team after their penalty shootout loss to Portugal in last Sunday's Europa League final. Yamal had a relatively quiet night by his own lofty standards, as he was expertly marshalled by Portuguese left back Nuno Mendes. GOAL gave the PSG star a 9/10 for his performance.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Some of the backlash directed at Yamal has bordered on the bizarre. For example, Real Madrid legend Guti took aim at the 17-year-old's decision to wear his hat backwards in a press conference. Such comments compelled De La Fuente to warn the Spanish football public to fight their "self-destructive" instinct of building up new stars, only to cut them down through the media and their criticism.

• WHAT DE LA FUENTE SAID

  As per quotes published by Mundo Deportivo, De La Fuente: "Lamine Yamal? In Spain, we’re very self-destructive – we go from praising someone to the heavens to rejecting them over a single mistake.

  “Life’s about balance. Not getting carried away in success or sinking in failure. We have to be cautious.”

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LAMINE YAMAL?

  The criticism seems to have minimal effect on the prodigious young winner. The 17-year-old continues to antagonise his naysayers, posting enigmatic messages from his post-season break. Whether he chooses to use the digs as fuel, or he chooses to ignore them, it seems Yamal does not let the opinions of outsiders affect his mentality.