Lamine Yamal says Lionel Messi is not the player he'd want to be if he could be anyone

Lamine Yamal says Lionel Messi is not the player he'd want to be if he could be anyone Newspoint | 2025-02-22 12:39:09

Lamine Yamal says that is the greatest current footballer in the , but explained that he wouldn't want to be him.

The Spanish sensation, who only signed his first professional contract with back in 2023, has made waves in the footballing world as of recent. At the age of just 17, the winger was imperative to , assisting Nico Williams for Spain's first goal of the 2-1 final win over .

He was also subsequently named as the Young Player of the Tournament for his part, totting up four assists in total for the overall competition, while also becoming the youngest-ever player to win a . Spending nine years of his youth at Barcelona after making the move from La Torreta in 2014, Yamal has had the privilege of rubbing shoulders with some of the club's greatest players of recent times.

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And in a recent chat with , he gave his take on all things Catalan. The youngster first insisted that Messi is the world's greatest sportsman at present, but when he was probed with the question: "If you were born again, which footballer would you like to be?" his response of caught many football fans by surprise.

Undoubtedly one of Brazil's greatest-ever prospects, Neymar spent just four years at Barcelona between 2013 and 2017, racking up 105 goals and 76 assists over the course of 186 games as part of the side's coveted 'MSN' attack - consisting of Messi, and himself.

After scooping two titles, three Copa del Reys and a , Neymar Jr parted ways with the Spanish side to join French giants . After six years in the Parisian capital, the winger made the move to Side , before joining his boyhood club of earlier this year.

With a wealth of awards for club and country to his name, it's easy to see why Yamal highlighted Neymar as one of his footballing idols, yet, the Brazilian's trophy cabinet pales when compared to the likes of Messi. At the age of 37, Messi continues to exceed expectations set upon him with , picking up a Supporters Shield with the Floridian outfit in 2024, as well as a Leagues Cup in his maiden season of 2023.

However, the Argentinian's journey into his twilight years have been nothing short of remarkable. After rising through the ranks of Barcelona in 2004, Messi spent 17 years with the club, scooping a decade of La Liga titles, 14 domestic cups, and four Champions Leagues - all while scoring a mammoth 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 games - making him not only the club's most frequently appearing player in history, but also its top goal scorer by a longshot.

Messi stunned football fans worldwide when he left Barcelona in 2021 to join on a free transfer, before arriving in Miami two years later. On the international stage, Messi has also scored 112 goals in 191 appearances for his country since 2005, the pinnacle of his journey undoubtedly in 2022.

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