Lamine Yamal's impressive playing style and position on the field often draw comparisons to Lionel Messi by fans.
These comparisons gained even more attention when Yamal, after turning 18 last month took the famous No.10 jersey previously worn by Messi.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta recently addressed these comparison and cautioned people not to compare the young player to football icon Messi.
“Leo is Leo and Lamine is Lamine. Messi has been the best player in history, but Lamine, right now, is the best player in the world. We will see how far he can go," Laporta said to CNN.
He continued, “He has an impressive personality, like Messi in his early days. He also has a surprisingly precocious maturity, like Leo. We’re talking about a true football genius, of which there are very few and who defines an era.”
Yamal has undoubtedly proven himself to be one of the top young football talents in the world, having played 106 matches for Barcelona so far.
Barcelona president further emphasised that placing such heavy expectations on a young player is not good for his development.
“We have to surround him with stability and not burden him with expectations. He has a unique talent, and it’s our duty to protect him," Laporta added.
Earlier, Former Brazilian midfielder Edmilson also commented on the comparison and acknowledged that Yamal already stands out as a strong and impressive player but what Messi accomplished during his time at Barcelona was extraordinary and beyond normal expectations.
