Laporte admits as much, having witnessed Yamal’s skill set up close with Spain, and he has told RMC Sport: “With the ball at his feet it’s something extraordinary. There is no left-back in the world who can say ‘come on, dribble me, let’s see if you can’. Everyone is afraid, everyone defends by backing down, and that is what it produces.”
“It’s a bit like what they thought of Messi when he did one on one: let’s see where he is going to come out, what he is going to do, if he is going to cut, if he is going to accelerate, if he is going to stop, if he is going to retreat, if he is going to shoot from distance, if he is going to give a clean pass to his team-mate.”
Yamal has sought to distance himself from the Messi debate on a regular basis, having been likened to the South American superstar since stepping out of the same La Masia academy system. He believes that emulating the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will be “impossible”.
Yamal has said: “I think that Lionel Messi is the best footballer of all time, but he also knows that I’m a good player. There will be mutual respect if we play against each other. He knows that I’m not trying to be him, to play like him, or wear the 10 like him. I want to follow my own path.”