Comparing Lamine Yamal’s stats at 19 to Messi & Ronaldo at the same age | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal has scored more goals and notched more assists than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had combined at the same age.

The Barcelona wonderkid has just celebrated his 19th birthday, on the eve of arguably the biggest game of his career to date – Spain’s World Cup semi-final against France.

He said as much himself, responding “in the top one” where the semi-final ranked among the biggest games of his career to date.

It recalls the last major tournament meeting between the two European giants, when Yamal scored arguably the best goal of his career to date on the cusp of his 17th birthday at Euro 2024. Spain won 2-1 and went on to lift the trophy.

“He’s 19, madre mia,” Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said, sitting alongside the birthday boy at the pre-match press conference.

“I would say to him: relax, enjoy it. Anxiety, out! Let him enjoy it. Lamine’s great day is still to come at this World Cup. I hope it’s tomorrow and, if not, in the final.”

Yamal’s stats at this age are almost unprecedented. First of all, he’s played a lot of football already, having made his debut as a 15-year-old back in 2023.

He’s approaching 200 senior appearances for club and country already, having played over 70 more matches than Messi and Ronaldo had managed put together by their 19th birthday.

With 56 goals and 64 assists already under his belt, he’s surely one of the greatest teenage talents in football history – going back to the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona and Ronaldo Nazario.

Messi and Ronaldo were highly rated and much hyped as teenagers, but they blossomed a bit later and had a more gradual introduction to senior men’s football.

Here’s how Yamal’s career stats at 19 compare to Messi and Ronaldo at the same age.

Lamine Yamal’s career stats at the age of 19

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