Barcelona‘s elimination at the hands of Atletico Madrid means Lamine Yamal remains without a UEFA Champions League title, something Lionel Messi achieved early in his illustrious career.
While Yamal has already played in three UEFA Champions League seasons without winning the title, Barcelona won it in Messi’s second season with the first team.
That 2006 triumph sparks debate though, since Messi didn’t play in the final. The first Champions League trophy Barcelona lifted with the Argentine star on the field came in 2009, during Messi’s fifth season with the senior squad.
Yamal’s Champions League results with Barcelona so far
Yamal’s first UEFA Champions League season ended with a quarterfinal exit against Paris Saint-Germain. Firmly established as a starter in his second campaign with the first team, Yamal and Barcelona went a bit further in the 2024-25 season but still fell short of the decider, losing to Inter Milan in the semifinals.
With the number 10 on his back, the Spanish sensation hoped to lead Barca to the promised land once and for all, but Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid held on to their aggregate lead to upset the Cules again in 2026.
Messi’s first Champions League results before first final win
On the other hand, Messi saw Barcelona fall in the round of 16 during his first season as a pro. The team won the title the following year, with the Argentine missing the final against Arsenal due to a hamstring injury.
Following a lackluster 2006-07 campaign where Barca lost in the round of 16, Messi and company reached the semifinals but lost to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United, who ended up lifting the trophy in 2008.
Then Pep Guardiola arrived and Barcelona went on to redeem themselves against the Red Devils, with Messi scoring the game-winning header in the 2009 UCL final.
The 8x Ballon d’Or winner went on to win two more Champions League titles with Barcelona, helping the club beat Manchester United again in 2011 before a big win over Juventus in 2015. That remains the last UCL success to date for Barcelona, who hope Yamal eventually leads the Blaugrana back to the top.
Messi’s age in first UCL final win proves Yamal has time
Even though the recent loss hurts, the future is still bright for Barcelona as long as they have Yamal. At only 18, the Spanish gem looks destined for big things in the beautiful game.
Messi was 21 years old in the first Champions League final he played in and won with Barcelona. Therefore, there’s no reason to panic. Yamal is still young, and it could be just a matter of time before he and Barca get over the hump.
