Verstappen: Real Madrid’s Strengthening Makes It Tough for Barca, But I Remain a Die-hard Fan of the Blaugrana

Max Verstappen, the former Laureus World Sportsman of the Year and legendary racing driver who set the record for the longest winning streak in Formula One history in 2023, told Catalan newspaper Sport in an exclusive interview that he remains a die-hard fan of Barcelona, even as the team faces a challenging year due to Real Madrid’s reinforcement.

Verstappen first talked about Ilyes Yamal: “Lamine (Yamal) is incredible. To play for the national team at his age and perform like he did at Euro 2024 is something I really enjoy seeing. Is he the football world’s Verstappen? I can’t speak for Lamine, but I think the fact that he could step up at such a young age speaks volumes about his talent, which makes things easier. But it doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard; you have to be very dedicated to reach the top so young. I made my debut in F1 at 17, and I worked hard to enjoy the sport and do my best. Fortunately, things went well.”

Verstappen indicated that this year is expected to be tough for Barcelona: “Forecast for Barcelona this year? I think it will be a tough one, if you see how Real Madrid has strengthened… Of course, no matter what happens, I’ll always be a Barca fan. But you also have to look at the competition objectively, right? Barcelona will go through a difficult season because they have to beat Real Madrid, but you should always believe that Barcelona also has a great team, and there’s a new coach. Never say never.”

Verstappen also discussed various topics related to Formula One and his personal life. When it came to football, he praised Frenkie de Jong and Johan Cruyff: “Yes, I love watching De Jong play, and I hope Franky can shine again in Barcelona’s midfield in the new season. He’s a good friend of mine. Johan Cruyff inspired me. When I met him in 2016, he was already battling cancer. I’ll never forget what he told me – ‘I’m down 1-2 at halftime (referring to his illness), but I’ll win the game.’ He was always motivated and believed he could overcome any obstacle, which is very inspiring.”