A halftime shirt swap fueled by parental duty and mutual respect highlights an unexpected bond between the teenage sensation and the veteran Croatian icon in Seville.
Ivan Perišić may be 37, but the PSV winger continues to play an important role for Croatia.
His latest international appearance produced an unusual moment involving Barcelona star Lamine Yamal.
Croatia were beaten 4-1 by world champions Spain in Seville despite Perišić providing an assist. The most notable exchange between the two sides, however, came at half-time when Perišić approached Yamal to swap shirts.
The Croatian explained that he did not want to wait until the final whistle, believing Yamal's performance would make his shirt highly sought-after.
“Perišić came up to me at halftime and said: ‘Normally I’m supposed to wait until the end of the game to ask for your shirt… but I have to do it now. Because everyone will want this shirt by the end of the match after the performance you’ve just delivered.’”
Yamal admitted he was caught off guard by the request.
“I started laughing, because I absolutely hadn’t expected it.”
Yamal Has Followed Perišić for Years
The Barcelona winger said Perišić's words carried particular significance because he has admired the PSV player for a long time.
“He told me: ‘Believe me, I'm taking mine now because I know that after that there will be a line.’ Honestly, that was a very nice moment for me.”
Yamal then revealed why the exchange meant so much to him.
“Perišić is a player I've been following for a very long time, so the fact that he said that was special.”
The two players completed the exchange, with Yamal receiving Perišić's shirt and the Croatian taking home the Barcelona youngster's.
For Perišić, there was also a personal reason behind the decision. Speaking at his post-match press conference, the PSV winger explained that the shirt was ultimately destined for his eldest son.
“Today we lost, but at least I fulfilled the dream of my eldest son: wearing Lamine Yamal's shirt. That's why I went to get his shirt right after the first half.”
![Perišić insisted that Yamal remains the frontrunner for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award [Reuters]](https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/9f2046ec-0b68-4c0e-9d91-8d8c3cefe7c8.jpeg)
Perišić insisted that Yamal remains the frontrunner for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award [Reuters]Perišić Backs Yamal for Ballon d’Or
Perišić's admiration went beyond the shirt exchange. The Croatian was also unequivocal when discussing Yamal's performance and his Ballon d'Or credentials.
“Spain was better today and Lamine Yamal is a great player. He deserves the Ballon d’Or; he tormented our defenders for the entire match.”
As relayed by PSV Inside, despite the heavy defeat, Perišić insisted Croatia would respond.
“But I believe it isn't over yet. We will bounce back in the league. Croatia does not just give up.”
For Yamal, the night ended with a victory and an unexpected souvenir exchange with a player he has admired for years. For Perišić, it provided at least one personal highlight from an otherwise difficult evening for Croatia.
