Lamine Yamal vs. Lionel Messi: A career comparison at the same age | OneFootball

Ah, the fervent fans of FC Barcelona—true romantics of the beautiful game, forever in search of the past’s echoes. There exists within them a yearning for those like-for-like replacements, a desire to see history mirrored on the pitch.

With an unyielding love for statistics, they are captivated by the sight of a left-footed, lightning-quick right winger gracing the right flank. It’s a vision that stirs nostalgia, as he dances past two or three defenders with effortless grace, always poised to deliver a match-defining pass or an exquisite finish.

In such a world, how could one resist the temptation to draw parallels? How could we not gaze upon the emerging brilliance of Lamine Yamal and not recall the magic of Lionel Messi? The man who redefined greatness and emerged from these very ranks, a prodigy turned legend.

Yamal’s style, reminiscent of the Argentine maestro himself, enchants us with his dazzling dribbles and mesmerizes with his vision—a skill that Messi honed to perfection over time.

And while La Pulga continues to dazzle across the ocean in Miami, Yamal stands on the precipice of greatness right here at Barcelona, ready to write his own chapter in this storied club’s illustrious history.

Now, a report by Diario AS sheds light on Lamine Yamal’s burgeoning career, drawing fascinating parallels with Messi’s at the same age. Messi made his official debut for Barcelona at just 17 years, 3 months, and 22 days, having only featured in club friendlies prior.

Lamine is still 11 days away from being the same age and as of today, he has already made 64 official appearances for the first team, is a Euros Champions with Spain, and has already reached a market valuation of €150m. This isn’t a competition, but if it were, Lamine would undoubtedly be ahead!

In these 64 games for Barcelona, Lamine has 12 goals and 16 assists and it is worth noting that for much of last season, Xavi used him as a substitute before he became irreplaceable in Xavi’s first-choice starting line-up. Since the beginning of this season, he has 12 goal contributions in 13 games.

These numbers are extraordinary for a 17-year-old, especially when we consider that Messi hadn’t even made his debut at this stage. Who can fathom what the alien would have achieved had he been given the chance to play at 15?

It’s essential to acknowledge that no one can truly aspire to replicate Lionel Messi’s unparalleled achievements. His 672 goals stand as a monumental Everest, yet Lamine Yamal is the closest generational talent La Masia has produced to the Argentine legend in years.

Without burdening him with undue pressure, we must allow Lamine to evolve into the player he has the potential to be. Only time will reveal how far his journey takes him, and we can only wait and see if he can reach even a fraction of Messi’s greatness by the end of his career.