When Sergio Ramos held Lamine Yamal’s hand in the Nou Camp tunnel back in 2016, he most likely had no idea that the 37-year-old Barcelona player would one day cause him anguish.
It’s possible that Ramos didn’t anticipate returning to Sevilla, and his goal on Friday that sealed the match at the Nou Camp may have given him cause for regret.
Continuing their winning streak in La Liga, Barcelona defeated Sevilla 1-0 at home. The victory was sealed in the 76th minute by a goal of Ramos’ own.
Still, it was Yamal’s actions—he is now 16 years old—that ultimately caused him to make the grave mistake at close range at the stadium where he had enjoyed such success with Real Madrid before.
Now, a video of Yamal and Ramos holding hands in the Nou Camp tunnel has gone viral. The footage shows the two players prior to another El Clasico between Spain’s top two sides.
Lamine Yamal celebrates helping create Barcelona’s only goal in Friday’s 1-0 win over Sevilla
Yamal (left) looks up at Sergio Ramos (middle) before walking out with him as a mascot in 2016
Star-struck, Yamal (left) smiles while holding the Real Madrid captain’s hand at the moment.
Yamal was enamored with his celebrity when, at the age of eight, he and his mascot friends stood among the Real Madrid players waiting for the game against their Catalan rivals to begin.
Admiringly, Yamal arches an eyebrow at Ramos and exchanges a wide smile and handshake with the four-time Champions League champion.
Madrid eventually prevailed 2-1 as goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema proved to be the difference.
Ramos, who had been sent away during the confrontation, returned to the site nine years later and had not fared well.
Ramos scored the game’s only goal on Friday night after turning the ball into his own net
Yamal (middle) was the main aggressor when Ramos (far left) deflected the Barcelona star’s cross into his own goal.
The Barcelona superstar Yamal ran out to celebrate when Ramos poked the ball past Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland on Friday, his smile growing even broader.
Yamal tried to pass, and Ramos gave up the own goal. At the back post, the Barcelona player met Raphinha’s cross and sent a first-touch pass back across the face of the goal.
Ramos attempted to block the ball with a lazy leg stretch, but all he managed to do was divert it into his own net. The Nou Camp burst into excitement at the former Madrid player’s miscalculation.
The 16-year-old phenom is Barcelona’s youngest-ever senior player and has already scored goals for the Spanish national team, which Ramos once guided to a World Cup triumph, in his brief career.