Lionel Messi has described Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal as one of the best players in the world and said he closely follows his progress. The comments were made during an interview with Simplemente Futbol.
According to the interview, Messi said Yamal is a great player who he follows a lot because he plays for a club he loves. Messi added that he always wishes him well and has no doubt that the 17-year-old is already among the top players in global football.
The Argentine, who spent more than two decades at Barcelona before leaving in 2021, currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
Messi was asked to name a young player who reminds him of himself and to address the frequent comparisons between him and Yamal. He said Yamal's emergence at such a young age is impressive and noted that the Spaniard is still in a growth process.
Yamal, a product of Barcelona's La Masia academy, broke into the first team at 16 and has since become a regular starter, winning domestic titles and the European Championship with Spain in 2024. He is widely viewed as Messi's successor at the Catalan club and now wears the No. 10 shirt previously worn by Messi.