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Former Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello shared his two cents on Barcelona star Lamine Yamal's incessant comparisons with Lionel Messi. The 17-year-old has been likened to the legendary Argentine since his breakthrough last season.
Much like Messi, Lamine Yamal rose from the ranks of Barca's famed youth academy, La Masia. He made his senior team debut in a LaLiga match in April 2023 and soon became one of the most promising young footballers in recent times.
Yamal is also a right winger with a steady left foot like Lionel Messi, making the comparisons more prominent. The Spaniard's exceptional impact on gameplay, immaculate ball control, and dribbling skills have also led pundits and fans to this opinion. In overall 86 appearances for Barcelona, he has contributed 18 goals and 23 assists.
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In an interview via MARCA, former Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello weighed in on Lamine Yamal's frequent comparisons with Lionel Messi. The Italian tactician said (via Barca Universal):
"He’s a kid who is doing important things. When he started at Barcelona, it was said that he was the new Messi. He doesn’t reach that level. He’s an extraordinary, spectacular, top player, but he doesn’t have Messi’s genius."
It may be a while until Lamine Yamal or any other youngster matches the legacy of Lionel Messi. However, at a young age, Yamal has created history for his boyhood side. For his performance last season, Yamal ranked eighth in the coveted Ballon d'Or rankings and also won the Golden Boy and the Kopa Trophy.
During a February 2025 LaLiga clash against Deportivo Alaves, the Spaniard completed 11 out of 21 attempted dribbles. This broke Messi's long-standing record of 10 successful dribbles out of 20 attempts in a 2007 game against Mallorca in LaLiga.
"He's the present" - When Lionel Messi said Barcelona star Lamine Yamal reminds him of his younger self
In a December 2024 event for Adidas in Germany, Lionel Messi was asked to name a few footballers from the new generation who remind him of his younger self. The Argentine superstar did not hesitate to name Lamine Yamal and said (via ESPN):
"There's a very good generation of young footballers who have many years ahead of them. If I have to choose someone, because of the age and because of the future that he has, I've heard that they have chosen Lamine Yamal and without doubt [it's him] for me, too."
The Barcelona legend added:
"I agree it depends on him and many things because that's how football is, but he's the present and without a doubt has a huge future."
It is undoubtedly a difficult task to match Lionel Messi's legacy at Barcelona as he's often considered the greatest legend of the Catalan side. The Argentine legend won a club record 35 titles with his boyhood side alongside contributing 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 outings across competitions.
Meanwhile, Yamal appears to be on the right track and has a bright future ahead of him if he can match Messi's longevity.
