Lamine Yamal has been playing professional football at FC Barcelona for not very long but is already seen as the face of the club.
Just 17 years old, the La Masia sensation is undoubtedly one of the most important players on the field not only for the Blaugrana but also for the Spanish national team.
The teenager’s precocious talent, natural ability, and explosion so early in his early career coming from La Masia have all led to comparisons being drawn with a certain Lionel Messi.
Lamine has always shown great humility when discussing the comparisons with the greatest player to have represented Barcelona, even saying that he would be happy to have half the career that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has had.
Now, though, Messi himself has admitted that the 17-year-old sensation reminds him of his younger self.
During a chat recently, the former Barcelona captain, who now plays at Inter Miami was asked to name a player from the new generation that whenever he sits and watches football, makes him say “Oh, that’s me when I was younger.”
In response, Messi said: “The new generation of young players are very good and have many years ahead of them.
“Well, I heard about Yamal without a doubt. It depends on him and other things as well to be consistent. But he is already part of the present and there is no doubt that he has a huge future ahead of him.”
That amount of praise, coming from his idol and one of the greatest ever to have played the game, is bound to mean a lot for Lamine.
It is also a testament to the player that he is and how the sky is the limit for the 17-year-old Barcelona wonderkid.