Former Barcelona director Jordi Cruyff says comparisons between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi cannot be made for another 13 years.
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Youngster made senior breakthrough at 15Has rewritten the history books since thenBeing likened to Argentine all-time greatFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
With both players stepping out of the famed La Masia academy system, inevitable talk of a teenage star in the present treading the same path as an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has been generated. Such a discussion would feel far-fetched for most, but Yamal has shown himself to be the hottest of prospects.
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He has been rewriting the history books since making a senior breakthrough at the age of 15, and is already a proven performer with La Liga title and European Championship honours to his name. More prestigious prizes are expected to come his way, but it is far too early to put him in the Messi talent bracket.
WHAT CRUYFF SAID
That is an opinion shared by ex-Barca player and director Cruyff, with the Dutchman telling on Yamal: “He is a different player, with a different talent, with a lot of personality for his age. From the very first day without any fear of ‘give me the ball, I’m going to make my move’. And the truth is that if he is not injured, he is obviously a player who is going to mark an era, but to say that he is going to be a Messi… We’ll know when he is 30 years old.”
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Yamal has made no secret of the fact that he wants to become a legend in his own right, but has told of the Messi debate that continues to rage around him: “I like being compared to the best player in football history, but I want to be myself. Reaching Messi’s level is impossible.”
