Lionel Messi hails teenage star who is already ‘one of world’s best’

Lamine Yamal has continued to enjoy a rapid rise and has claimed numerous individual accolades with Lionel Messi already ranking him among the world’s best players

Lionel Messi insists that Barcelona star Lamine Yamal is already one of “the best players in the world ” despite being just 17. The Spaniard has continued his meteoric rise this season with the Catalans eyeing the treble.

Yamal is yet another product of the La Masia academy, a route also walked by Messi, and is a key figure in their star-studded attack. The teenager showcased his quality on the international stage back in the summer, helping Spain claim Euro 2024 glory.

He scored a stunning long-range strike to see off France in the semi-finals with those exploits helping Yamal win the Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy double at the end of 2024. This season he’s continued to grow, defying his age.

The teenager is top of the La Liga assist charts and is also in double figures for goals scored with Messi claiming Yamal is now in elite company and can be listed alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

He said in an interview with Simplemente Fútbol : “Kids watch and imitate everything, they know everyone and follow everyone, the players they talk about are Mbappe, Vini Junior, Haaland, Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal.

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“It’s impressive what Lamine Yamal is doing and has already achieved. He’s already a European champion with Spain. He’s just 17, in the middle of a growth process, and will keep on growing and contributing, just as I did. He has incredible quality and is already one of the best players in the world.”

Yamal is tipped to win the Ballon d’Or later in his career and has been producing this season on the Champions League stage alongside the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha. The Spanish giants also sit top of La Liga and can win the Copa del Rey.

The teenage sensation has also scored in both the commanding wins over Real Madrid this season. First he found the net as the Catalans beat Los Blancos 4-0 in the Bernabeu whilst he also got in on the act as Barcelona beat them 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup.

Lewandowski has confessed that he couldn’t believe Yamal’s age when they first played together. He said: “He came to train with us when he was 15 years old, I saw him for the first time. I’ve seen a lot of young, talented people, ‘Oh, he’s got something!’, but I was never sure that there would be a great career behind it. Until I saw Lamine. And I said ‘wow’. I asked him his age, he told me fifteen, and I replied that it was impossible.”

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