Lionel Messi has chosen Barcelona star Lamine Yamal as the player who reminds him most of himself when he was young.
The two have been compared almost since the moment Yamal established himself with the first team, and there is little doubt that, in terms of style and position on the pitch, Barcelona have not had a more natural successor since Messi left in 2022.
Both are left-handed, both exceptional talents at a very young age with excellent dribbling skills and, as of this season, both wear the number 10 jersey, so there is no shortage of parallels that can be drawn.
Although they may be different in their playing style, Lamine Yamal also came at a time when Barcelona needed a new star. However, Yamal has managed to do so at an even younger age.
Speaking at an Adidas event following the release of their 2026 World Cup advert, featuring both Messi and Lamine Yamal, he was asked which player he had seen and thought: “This is a ‘new me'”.
“There is a new generation of footballers who are very good and have many years ahead of them, but if I had to choose one, because of his age, what he has done so far and the future he could have, it would be Lamine. Without a doubt, for me he is the best,” Messi said.
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One of the things that Lamine Yamal may not have, unlike Messi, is competitive conditions.
Messi joined a team that would win the Champions League that year and then rose even further under Pep Guardiola, as the Catalan giants were one of the major financial powers in football.
Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal ‘s Barcelona has been squeezed in recent years by the pandemic and financial sustainability rules, being “saved” largely by the La Masia products that are emerging on the scene.
