Barcelona president Joan Laporta has praised Lamine Yamal as ‘a genius’ on the pitch, although he downplayed comparisons to legend Lionel Messi.
At only 18, Yamal has cemented his status as one of the top players in the world with his exceptional skillset and top-tier performances, drawing comparisons to the Argentine legend.
He led Spain to the European Championships in 2024, while he contributed 43 goals and assists as Barcelona completed a clean sweep of Spain’s domestic titles last season.
The teenage sensation has also inherited Messi’s iconic number 10 jersey at the Blaugrana, raising expectations and questions on his ability to fill the void left by the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
“Lamine Yamal is Lamine Yamal, Leo Messi was Leo Messi. Leo Messi has been the best player in the world, and Lamine, I think that in his position nowadays, is the best player in the world”, Laporta revealed.
“Messi won everything, Messi did everything, for me probably the best player in history, but the world continues and [there] appears new geniuses. The new geniuses that are appearing nowadays are players like Lamine Yamal, like Pedri, like Raphinha.
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In the case of Lamine, there are not too many players like him because he’s a genius and he’s the top level”, he added.
Arguably the greatest footballer in history, Messi enjoyed unprecedented success at Barcelona winning multiple trophies and accolades.
Yamal netted twice in Barcelona’s 7-3 rout of FC Seoul on Thursday, as they recorded a second consecutive win in their preseason tour of Asia.
“I think that the most important thing is that he enjoys the team. It is very important that he feels good, that he can stay with his colleagues on the pitch, enjoying playing football, and out of the pitch, enjoying as a boy that likes a normal life”, Laporta continued.
“He is very professional and he knows that to be the best and to be at the top, he needs to be fit, he needs to train, he needs to follow the advice of the coach and the people that are around him and basically to feel happy, to feel that he’s enjoying playing football.”
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
