Manchester United Youth Cup final, 2011
Manchester United had a player who was even better than Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and should have won multiple Ballon d’Or awards.
That’s the verdict of former Man Utd youth player Reece Brown, younger brother of ex-England international Wes.
Lamine Yamal burst onto the scene in 2023, aged just 15, and is now widely regarded as one of the world’s best footballers. The 18-year-old is a contender to become the youngest-ever Ballon d’Or winner later this year and his odds of winning the prestigious individual accolade will shorten further if Spain win this summer’s World Cup.
The teenager has been so impressive that he’s even earned comparisons to Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer in history.
'Ravel Morrison Was Better Than Lamine Yamal'
Ravel Morrison in 2011
However, Brown claims Ravel Morrison was an even better footballer than Lamine Yamal and should have won multiple Ballon d’Or awards during his career.
Speaking on The Long Game podcast, Brown said of Morrison: “Best player I’ve ever seen in my life - no word of a lie. I’ve never seen anything like it, especially witnessing it with my own eyes.
“We came up through the system together. When I was Under-9s, he was Under-8s. Some of the stuff I’ve seen from him is absolutely frightening.
Brown continued: “It was a joke. Every time I got the ball, it was just ‘give it to Rav’.
“What I like to say to anyone who doesn’t know Rav is just watch Lamine Yamal and some of the stuff he does now… [Ravel] was doing that better.”
Brown added: “He should have Ballon d’Or awards, Ravel. One hundred per cent. I’m talking a lot of Ballon d’Or awards as well but it is what it is.
“He still had a good career, though, can’t say he’s not had a good career. But I think he realised it just a bit too late, or tried to change it a little bit too late.” Watch the clip below:
Sir Alex Ferguson Was Also Amazed by Morrison's Talent
Sir Alex Ferguson
While it may sound like hyperbole, one man likely to concur with Brown is arguably the greatest manager in football history, Sir Alex Ferguson.
Casting his mind back to a training session, former United star Rio Ferdinand said in 2019: “Sir Alex Ferguson, I remember, he called me and Wazza [Wayne Rooney] over one day and said: “look at this kid, he’s better than you, Rooney when you were a kid, he’s better than you, Rio, better than Ryan Giggs when you were kids. This is the best kid you will ever see.”
Two years later, in 2021, Ferdinand asked Ferguson for his honest assessment of Morrison. Fergie replied: “Rio, my first and lasting impression of Ravel as a young lad was he has always got time and space, always available to be on the ball, so unusual for a young lad of his age. Give my regards to him, please.
"Another thing about Ravel which I’ve always treasured because no other young player who made their debut did it. After the first game in the first-team that he played, the next morning he came to my office and gave me a letter thanking me for giving him his debut. I was gobsmacked, Rio.
"The boy had a good heart, he was just beaten by his background."
Morrison showed flashes of his brilliance after leaving Old Trafford in 2012 - most notably a stunning solo goal for West Ham against Tottenham in October 2013 - but ultimately failed to justify the hype.
While the 33-year-old’s career has taken him all over the world, and led to 21 caps for Jamaica’s national team, there will always be a huge question of ‘what if?’ hanging over him.
Morrison currently plies his trade with Arabian Falcons FC, where he plays under former England midfielder Jonjo Shelvey in the UAE Second Division.