FC Barcelona’s preseason tour in Asia has placed 18-year-old Lamine Yamal firmly in the global spotlight as the La Masia graduate, who is now wearing the No. 10 shirt, was the most celebrated player on the team’s arrival in Japan and South Korea.
Yamal, who debuted at 15 for the Catalonia side has broken multiple records and recently signed a lucrative contract at 18 and is already considered a frontrunner for the next Ballon d’Or.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta addressed the teenager’s rise during an interview with CNN, drawing comparisons to club legend Lionel Messi while making a bold claim about the present.
“Lamine is Lamine Yamal, and Lionel Messi was Lionel Messi. Messi has been the best player in the world, and Lamine, I think that in today’s situation, he is the best in the world,” Laporta said.
The president praised Yamal’s presence and maturity, saying, “Lamine has a lot of personality, like Messi; in his time, he also had a lot of personality.
Of course, Messi won everything. Messi did everything. For me, he is probably the best player in history.”
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Laporta also highlighted Barcelona’s emerging talents while acknowledging football’s broader brilliance: “The world goes on and new geniuses emerge, and the new geniuses that emerge today are players like Lamine Yamal, like Pedri, like Raphinha… very talented players who are in the world of football.”
“I mention FC Barcelona players, but, of course, there are players from other teams who are fantastic.”
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