Dani Olmo, a Barcelona midfielder and one of the Spanish national team’s basic players, believes Spain can win the World Cup. In an interview with GQ, he said the team is ready to meet the highest demands and does not fear pressure. Olmo sees challenges as part of his professional journey.
Olmo said his development as a player and as a person is closely tied to his time in Croatia. He joined Dinamo Zagreb in 2014, aged 16, after leaving Barcelona’s academy, and spent more than five years at the Croatian club before moving to RB Leipzig in January 2020. In Zagreb, he learned to work on himself and persevere after setbacks, using competition as motivation to improve. His first year in Croatia went well, but limited playing time later became an impressive career lesson.
After four and a half years in Germany, where he won two German Cups and a German Super Cup, Olmo returned to Barcelona, the club where his development began. His contract reportedly runs through 2030. Olmo said the demands on players are higher at Barcelona and with the Spanish national team, but he does not see them as pressure. He views them as a responsibility players must accept to stay at the top level. Criticism and outside expectations are inevitable, he said. What matters more is staying focused on his work and personal goals.
Competition for playing time under head coach Hansi Flick has also raised questions about Olmo’s place in Barcelona’s squad. Sporting director Deco met with Olmo’s agent, Juanma López, to discuss the midfielder’s status and minutes. Reports on the meeting said Olmo wanted a more impressive role in the squad and did not intend to leave.
Olmo said footballers become role models for younger generations. He believes players should recognize that responsibility and show on the field the values that matter to future athletes. In his view, players’ conduct and attitude towards their craft shape football culture in the country.
Speaking about his personal goals, Olmo said his dreams have not changed since childhood. Some have come true, but he continues to work towards new achievements. For him, success means accomplishing the goals he sets himself. Failure, he said, is refusing to try.
Olmo believes Spain can achieve major success on the world stage again at the upcoming World Cup. He said the team feels the entire country’s support after the Euros and is ready for new challenges. He described the current generation as a united squad of star players, built on teamwork and continuity. Spain’s 2010 World Cup victory remains the national team’s only title in the tournament.
Away from football, Olmo prefers a quiet lifestyle, spending time at home with movies and series or going out for dinner with loved ones. He also spoke about his faith. He considers himself a Christian, though he does not actively practise religion, and would like to get married in a church.
Interest in Spanish football remains high, and the national team’s successes traditionally draw widespread public attention. In recent years, interest has also grown in players’ personal stories, including coverage of changes in the private lives of well-known athletes such as singer Malú, whose relationships were discussed in a recent article. Olmo’s story centers on professional ambitions and inner motivations, reflecting a shift in how modern football stars are perceived.
Dani Olmo was born in 1998 and came through Barcelona’s academy before playing for Dinamo Zagreb and RB Leipzig. He returned to the Catalan club, where his contract reportedly runs until 2030. The next World Cup will take place in 2026, and expectations for Spain are traditionally high.
