At just 17 years of age, winger Lamine Yamal has established himself as one of FC Barcelona’s most promising stars, both in LaLiga and the Champions League. His explosive speed, overflowing ability and maturity on the pitch have led to inevitable comparisons with Argentine star Lionel Messi. In the run-up to the first leg of the Champions League 2025 quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund, midfielder Pedri González gave an interview to El País, where he praised the talent of his young teammate and made clear a comparison that has gone around the world.
“When Lamine gets the ball, you know he’s going to dribble past the first opponent with ease… and then something can happen. It’s similar to the feeling we had when Messi was in the squad,” said Pedri.
The new Messi?
Lamine Yamal has been key to Barça’s current season.
So far this year, he has been directly involved in more than 15 goals between assists and scores.
His performance has been particularly outstanding in important matches, such as in the Clasico against Real Madrid and in the Champions League round of 16.
Although it is still too early to compare him directly with Messi, Lamine Yamal’s impact has been immediate and his presence has revitalized the Blaugrana attack.
His style of play based on short dribbling, field vision and precision in the last pass is reminiscent of the early years of the Argentine 10.
A culé symbol
Trained at La Masia, the same youth academy from which Messi emerged, Lamine Yamal represents the club’s new commitment to youth.
Under the technical direction of Xavi Hernández, Barça has prioritized the development of its own talent and has found in Lamine a central piece for its future.
In addition, his figure carries special weight for Hispanics in the United States, where FC Barcelona has a large Latino fan base, many of whom follow the evolution of youngsters like Yamal with great interest.
There's something different about him. You don't know if he's going to face, pass, or shoot. He's unpredictable, just like Leo
Pedri
With the quarter-finals on the horizon and a bright future ahead of him, Lamine Yamal could become Barça’s next great idol.
His rise will be closely watched by the entire soccer community, including millions of U.S. Hispanic fans.
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