Manchester United legend labels Barcelona star Lamine Yamal as ‘mini-Messi’ | OneFootball

Former Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic has delivered one of the biggest compliments yet to Lamine Yamal, comparing the Barcelona sensation to Lionel Messi.

Lamine recently returned from the injury he suffered in April and has helped Spain reach the World Cup quarter-finals. While there is still debate around his performances, his display against Portugal earned significant praise.

Vidic sees shades of Messi in Lamine

As quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Vidic was particularly impressed by the problems Lamine caused Portugal left-back Nuno Mendes during Spain’s round-of-16 victory. He said:

“Lamine is a mini Messi.”

The former Serbia international knows better than most what it was like to face the greatest player in Barcelona history. Vidic was part of the Manchester United defence beaten by Messi and Barca in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League finals.

He continued:

The former defender also highlighted the unique difficulty of trying to contain Lamine.

“The way Lamine plays ended up injuring Nuno. He made him run down the wing several times with his dribbling tricks and he ended up getting injured during a sprint.”

Vidic added:

“Lamine Yamal doesn’t run in straight lines. He always moves with the ball and does something incredible. It’s simply a pleasure to watch him on the pitch.”

For Barcelona fans, comparisons with Messi will always require caution. No young player should be expected to reproduce the career of the greatest footballer in the club’s history.

However, Vidic’s opinion carries weight. He faced Messi at his devastating best and understands exactly how difficult unpredictable attacking players are to defend.

Lamine must continue building his own story, but when a legendary defender who suffered against Messi sees similarities, it says plenty about just how extraordinary Barca’s No. 10 has already become.