Lionel Messi has given his full blessing to Lamine Yamal as his successor. The Argentine legend had already shown his appreciation for the Barcelona youngster, who keeps collecting awards and records at only 17 years old, but now he went as far as naming him as one of the players that remind him of himself when he was younger.
At an Adidas event, the Inter Miami star was asked if he sees a reflection of himself in the new generation of young players, particularly in their passion for the game, and who he believes has the potential to become a great player in the future.
“I think there’s a new generation of players that are very good, and they have many dreams ahead of them. But if I have to choose one, given his age and what he has accomplished so far, as well as the future he could have, it’s Lamine, without a doubt,” Messi said.
“It depends on him, and also other things because it’s soccer, and many factors come into play. But he is already part of the present and he has a huge future ahead of him,” Messi added.
This is not the first time that Messi has praised Yamal, who is one of the players who is wearing Adidas boots from his newest collection. He also told L’Equipe in 2023 that he expected him to be one of the “prominent” figures in soccer for the years to come.
Lamine Yamal has said that comparisons to Messi are ‘unfair’
“I like that they compare me to the greatest player in the history of football, but I want to be myself,” he told Antena 3 when asked about the comparisons with the Barcelona legend. “Reaching Messi’s level is impossible,” he added.
Of course, Barcelona fans are well aware of Messi and Yamal’s photoshoot, when the 17 year old was only a baby and the Argentine was barely starting his professional career. “Man, he passed along some of his powers to me,” Yamal said of the moment, also to Antena 3.
Similar to Messi, Yamal has said that he wants to be a “legend” in Barcelona and “never leave” the club that has made him a star. He made his professional debut with the Catalan club in 2023.
Yamal enjoyed a breakout year in 2024, winning the Euros with Spain and earning accolades as the Young Player of the Tournament while also securing a spot in the Team of the Tournament.
He capped off his impressive performances by finishing eighth in the Ballon d’Or rankings, where his Spain teammate Rodri took home the top honor. This year, he also won the Golden Boy, an award once claimed by Messi, as well as receiving the Kopa Trophy.