Lamine Yamal, a forward for Barcelona, declares that he does not aspire to be the next Lionel Messi, choosing instead to carve out his own unique journey in football.
The 18-year-old has often drawn comparisons to the legendary Barça player, especially as both emerged from the club’s renowned academy and share a similar style of play on the right flank. Messi recently helped Inter Miami reach the MLS Cup final, further fueling the comparisons.
After finishing as the runner-up for this year’s Ballon d’Or, an award Messi has claimed eight times, Yamal emphasizes that he wants to avoid being seen solely in Messi’s shadow.
“I anticipated this question,” Yamal shared during an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, addressing the Messi comparisons. “I have immense respect for him as a player and for what he means to football. If we ever cross paths on the pitch, there will be mutual respect because we are both athletes, and for me, he is the greatest of all time.”
He continued, “We both understand that I don’t want to be Messi, and he knows that too. I aim to pursue my own path and have no desire to emulate his style or don the No.10 jersey he once wore.”
Interestingly, Yamal did inherit Barcelona’s No.10 shirt this season, but he credits many influences for shaping his playing style, including Messi. He takes particular pride in his passing skills, demonstrated by an assist to Dani Olmo in Barcelona’s recent 3-1 LaLiga victory over Alavés, which propelled the team to the top of the league.
“It’s funny, as a kid I didn’t do much dribbling,” he reflected. “I scored often and ran a lot, but my game vision was always sharp. Watching Messi, I realized he delivered unique passes — not just long ones, but ones that were practically goals, crafted with the outside of his foot. That’s what I learned from him.”
“I also admired players like [Luka] Modric; their creativity and cleverness in passing intrigued me more than mere dribbling.” Yamal has yet to share a pitch with Messi, but a meeting could be on the horizon at next summer’s World Cup, with both the Spain and Argentina teams qualifying for the tournament.
– Latest updates on Jude Bellingham, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Marcus Rashford at Real Madrid and Barcelona
– Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo shine as Barcelona defeats Alavés
– Transfer rumors: Barça prioritizing defensive and offensive improvements
Argentina, the current holders, enter the competition as favorites, while Spain also stands out as a contender after their European Championship victory last summer, led by the talented 16-year-old Yamal.
“The expectations are very high,” Yamal expressed regarding the upcoming World Cup. “It’s been a long time since Spain has been a serious contender, and there’s a palpable excitement throughout the country. I’m thrilled; it’s the perfect moment for me. I feel significant to the team.”
When asked if Spain can win the World Cup, he confidently replied, “Yes,” in English.