News Focus
- The Spain winger shows remarkable calm despite constant comparisons to Lionel Messi
- He has already played 151 matches for FC Barcelona at age 18, far more than Messi managed by the same age
- His game is evolving from a traditional winger into a central playmaker who creates chances
- Childhood idol Luka Modric influenced his passing style more than traditional wide players did
- He aims to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain, believing pressure is merely an excuse
Lamine Yamal carries the weight of expectation with a smile that suggests he knows something the rest of us are still learning. At just 18 years of age, the FC Barcelona forward has already lifted the European Championship trophy and worn the number 10 shirt that Lionel Messi made famous at the Catalan club. Yet what strikes you most is not his trophy cabinet. It is his peace of mind.
The young Spaniard plays with a freedom that defies his years. When a television crew asked him recently if Spain could win the World Cup, he answered with one simple word: “Yes.” No hesitation. No fear.
Everyone wants to compare him to Messi. They share the same left foot. They both make hard things look simple. The numbers even suggest Yamal is ahead of schedule. By his 18th birthday, he had played 151 times for Barcelona. Messi had only played 41 games when he turned 19.
But Yamal does not want this comparison. “Messi is the best ever,” he says. “I do not want to be him. I want to follow my own road.” He says the same about Cristiano Ronaldo. He wants children to copy him, not the legends who came before.
His coaches see something different in him too. Spain boss Luis de la Fuente calls him “touched by God.” Barcelona manager Hansi Flick says he is a “genius” who plays like a 25-year-old. Rio Ferdinand, the former Manchester United defender, thinks Yamal at 17 was already better than both Messi and Ronaldo were at the same age.
Here is the secret that makes Yamal special. He was never meant to stay on the wing.
As a boy, he did not study wingers like Arjen Robben. He watched Luka Modric. He loved how the Croatian midfielder saw passes others could not. He loved how Modric used the outside of his boot to split defences open. “That is about the mind, not just running with the ball,” Yamal explains.
This is why his game is changing. In the last two seasons, he has moved inside more often. He now operates as a second creator, not just a wide runner. The data proves it. He is becoming a playmaker who can also score.
His old coaches at La Masia, Barcelona’s academy, saw this coming. Albert Puig noticed years ago that Yamal played best when he had team-mates in front of him and space to pass. Julen Guerrero, who worked with him in the national youth teams, believes he could become a false nine one day.
Messi made the same journey. He started on the right wing. He ended up in the centre, running the show. Messi needed until his mid-twenties to make that move. Yamal might do it much sooner.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup waits on the horizon. Yamal will still be 18 when the tournament starts in North America. He will turn 19 the day before the semi-finals. Spain will travel as one of the top sides, with Yamal as their main threat.
He is not thinking about the Ballon d’Or. He is not thinking about pressure. “Pressure is just an excuse,” he says. “If you enjoy yourself, there is no pressure.” He is simply playing football his way. And the world is watching.