Legendary AC Milan forward explains why Lamine Yamal is still behind Mbappe: ‘Just a young kid’ | OneFootball

Former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah has made his stance clear on the Lamine Yamal vs Mbappe debate, insisting that the Barcelona youngster should not yet be compared with one of football’s most accomplished stars.

Speaking to El Chiringuito TV, the former PSG, AC Milan and Chelsea striker praised the enormous potential of Lamine Yamal at Barcelona, but stressed that the teenager is still in the early stages of his development and remains some distance away from reaching the level already achieved by Kylian Mbappe.

With discussions surrounding the world’s best player becoming increasingly frequent, George Weah’s comments on Lamine Yamal is certain to gain attention.

Weah believes Lamine is still developing

At just 18 years old, Lamine Yamal has already established himself as one of the brightest talents in world football.

The Barcelona winger continues to attract praise for his maturity, technical ability and impact at both club and international level, but Weah believes comparisons with Kylian Mbappe are premature.

Asked whether the Barcelona starlet is currently better than the Real Madrid forward, the former Ballon d’Or winner offered a straightforward response.

Weah has refused to compare Mbappe to Lamine Yamal. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

“Well, Lamine Yamal is just a young kid, as you know. You shouldn’t… …you shouldn’t compare him to Mbappe,” he said.

“Mbappe… he’s a phenomenon. Lamine is still developing and growing. All I hope is that Lamine continues on his path. 

“But you can’t compare him to Mbappe. Everyone knows that Mbappé is on a whole different level (far superior),” he added.

Lamine Yamal vs Mbappe remains a popular debate

The Lamine Yamal vs Kylian Mbappe debate has become one of the biggest talking points in football over the last year.

Yamal’s rise has been extraordinary, and despite his age, the Barcelona attacker has already become a regular starter and is widely viewed as one of the faces of the club’s future.

Lamine Yamal is still 18 years of age. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

However, Mbappe has spent nearly a decade performing at an elite level, boasting an impressive collection of individual awards, league titles and international achievements, while continuing to dominate major tournaments.

At 27, Mbappe is entering what many consider the prime years of his career, whereas Lamine Yamal is only beginning his journey in senior football.

That difference is one of the reasons why the former Ballon d’Or winner believes there is little value in directly comparing the pair at this stage.

Although Weah refused to place Lamine Yamal alongside Mbappe, his comments should not be interpreted as criticism of the Barcelona winger.

In fact, the former striker acknowledged that the teenager possesses enormous potential and has all the ingredients needed to enjoy a long and successful career.