It won’t be a stretch to say Lamine Yamal was the protagonist of the Spanish thriller at the recent UEFA Euro, which ultimately saw La Roja bag their record fourth title. With a goal and four assists, including one in the final, Yamal took home the Euro’s Best Young Player award to nobody’s surprise. Since Spain can’t add veterans like Rodri and Dani Carvajal to their U-23 Olympic roster, many fans might have thought the 17-year-old Yamal would take center stage for the La Roja squad in Paris.

Much to the dismay of fans, officially, the teenage sensation won’t don the red jersey in Paris for the Spanish team. Why is he missing a chance to chase yet another massive win? Here we go!

Lamine Yamal had long before decided he wouldn’t feature in the Olympics

Despite being a teenager, Lamine Yamal’s Euro heroics and game time at the tournament prove he has been doing more work than any average adult. He played all seven games for Spain in the Euros and lasted 90 minutes in many of those games. Notably, he joined the Spanish Euro squad fresh off a hectic 50-game season with Barcelona.

Hence, Yamal had decided it was unsafe to strain his body any further. “It wouldn’t be wise to participate in both tournaments. I’ve always tried to avoid overloading myself and playing excessively, so it wouldn’t be logical to do both,” said Yamal.

He chose the Euros and kept himself out of the Olympics to avoid future injuries. Notably, Yamal’s full-fledged campaign with Barcelona will re-start in August, shortly after the Olympic soccer games. It is indeed too much to ask of a 17-year-old to sweat out in three back-to-back heavyweight campaigns.

Moreover, none of Yamal’s teammates except Fermin Lopez and Alex Baena, who won the Euro with Spain, are traveling to Paris for the Olympics. They played minimally at the Euros. So why should Yamal miss out on a much-deserved time for relaxation and enjoyment? Speaking of the same, he is now having the time of his life.

Yamal relaxes during vacation while the Summer Games await Spain

Lamine Yamal had one duty at the UEFA Euro. To win the title. That he did with unparalleled perfection.

Shortly after the big win, the 17-year-old took off to Greece to enjoy his holidays. In photos Yamal shared from Greece, we could see him enjoying a luxurious cruise on a yacht while soaking in the sun. The 17-year-old also shared a picture of a sumptuous Mediterranean meal he brought to the yacht’s deck.

Besides, he also posed shirtless on his Instagram stories to give a shout-out to the Mitsis group of hotels, who hosted him in Greece.

Meanwhile, FC Barcelona announced Lamine Yamal as their new number 19, while the 17-year-old took off to Greece. In Yamal’s absence, Spain’s U-23 squad kick-starts its Olympic campaign tonight by facing Uzbekistan in a Group C game.

Spain has won the Olympic gold once. A gold in Paris is the best decoration one could ask for after the stunning Euro win. Let’s see how well Spain fares in Paris without main young blood such as Yamal and Nico Williams.