"He is even better than Messi" - Barcelona star praised by former coach; backed to beat Kylian Mbappe to Ballon d'Or soon

Lamine Yamal's youth coach, Inocente Diaz, has backed the Barcelona star to win the Ballon d'Or in six years. He believes that the youngster is on a trajectory to be better than Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.

Speaking to SPORT, Diaz stated that Yamal possesses a unique blend of the qualities of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He added that the youngster is better than anyone the club has produced and said:

"In six years, he will win the Ballon d'Or. He is even better than Messi. He possesses a unique blend of physical attributes reminiscent of both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Achieving what he has at just 16 years old is extraordinary. This current Barcelona team is different from previous years, and Lamine stands out."

Diaz went on to add that the Yamal is better than Mbappe and said:

"Mbappé will have to fight against him. Lamine is better than Mbappé, the Frenchman has a lot of publicity because he will sign for Madrid but the future goes through Lamine Yamal."

Lamine Yamal played 50 matches for the Catalan side this season, scoring seven times and assisting 10 goals.

Xavi had high praise for Barcelona star Lamine Yamal

Former manager Xavi handed Lamine Yamal his Barcelona first-team debut and has high praise for the youngster. The Spaniard believes that the 16-year-old is calm and mature for his age and told the media earlier this year (via GOAL):

"I see him very calm. He is very measured in the sense that he is digesting everything that is happening to him very well, despite his young age. He is a mature person, he is responsible, he is aware of the situation he is experiencing."

"He's very humble and he's showing us that he's a differential player. He is a player that can mark an era in football, especially at Barcelona. Hopefully, we can always enjoy him at this level. He's a teenage boy who's growing up. On a mental level, he is a cheerful, joking boy. He's enjoying himself. He's happy."

Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City have already been linked with Lamine Yamal, but the Catalan side currently have no plans to sell their prized asset despite their financial situation.