Is Lamine Yamal the Next Lionel Messi? Laporta Weighs In on Barcelona's Rising Star

Barcelona president Joan Laporta hails Lamine Yamal as a once-in-a-generation talent while addressing inevitable comparisons to Lionel Messi.

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Lamine Yamal: Barcelona’s Crown Jewel and the Messi Comparisons He Can’t Escape

In football, comparisons are inevitable—especially when you wear the fabled No. 10 shirt for FC Barcelona. But for 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, the weight of that jersey carries more than just history—it carries echoes of a legend. As the Blaugrana continue their Asia tour, the club’s president Joan Laporta has found himself fielding questions about whether Lamine could be the next Lionel Messi.

Laporta’s response? Candid, respectful, and full of quiet optimism.

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Medical Challenge Messi Overcame

At just 10 years old, Lionel Messi was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency — a condition that required years of intensive medical treatment to overcome.

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Laporta Weighs In: “Lamine is Lamine, Messi was Messi”

In an interview with CNN (h/t SPORT), Laporta took a moment to draw a line between past and present, offering insight into the budding comparisons fans and pundits can’t seem to avoid.

“Lamine is Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi was Lionel Messi,” said the president, emphasising the need to recognise Lamine for who he is, not who he isn’t.

Still, the similarities are hard to ignore. Both products of La Masia, both prodigies who broke into the first team as teenagers, both capable of moments that defy logic. And yet, Laporta wants people to understand that this is a new chapter.

“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. I think we’ll see, we’ll see.”

It’s not just a passing compliment. Coming from Laporta—the man who oversaw Messi’s golden era at Barcelona—this is weighty praise.

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Lionel Messi's Barcelona Goals

Legendary footballer Lionel Messi scored 672 goals in 778 appearances for FC Barcelona during his time from 2004-2021.

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From La Masia to Asia: The Rise of a Global Star

Barcelona’s Asia tour has become more than just a preseason trip—it’s turned into a Lamine Yamal showcase. The 18-year-old winger was met with adoring crowds in Japan and South Korea, echoing the kind of global adulation once reserved for Messi himself.

Laporta couldn’t ignore the magnetic pull Lamine seems to have on fans worldwide.

“Lamine has a lot of personality, like Messi, in his time he also had a lot of personality,” he remarked, before offering a sobering reminder: “Of course, Messi won everything. Messi did everything. For me, he is probably the best player in history.”

It’s a nod to the greatness of the past, but also a recognition that greatness comes in many forms—and sometimes, anew.

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“Genius at the Highest Level”: Laporta on Lamine’s Unique Brilliance

Lamine’s 2024/25 campaign was nothing short of breathtaking. He wasn’t just good for his age—he was good, full stop. Week after week, he delivered goals, assists, and moments that left jaws on the floor. But it wasn’t just his stats—it was his style, his swagger, and the sense that something special was always about to happen when he had the ball.

Laporta, clearly in awe, didn’t hold back his admiration.

“He is the type of player of which there are very few like him because he is a genius and he is at the highest level.”

The word “genius” is used sparingly in football. When it comes from a club president—particularly one as seasoned as Laporta—it carries an unmistakable sense of conviction.

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The Future is Now: Ballon d’Or Buzz at Just 18

With whispers already growing louder, Lamine Yamal is firmly in the conversation for this year’s Ballon d’Or. At just 18, that would be a record-breaking feat, and perhaps the clearest sign yet that football has found its next superstar.

Laporta, for his part, prefers to keep one eye on the future while celebrating the present.

“The world continues and new geniuses appear, and the new geniuses that appear today are players like Lamine Yamal, like Pedri, like Raphinha… very talented players who are in the world of football.”

He added: “I mention FC Barcelona players, but, of course, there are players from other teams who are fantastic.”

But no matter how many new names emerge, there’s no doubt who the current darling of Barcelona is. As the tour continues and the cameras follow his every move, Lamine seems less like a future promise and more like a present-day phenomenon.

Messi’s shadow may be long, but it’s clear—Lamine Yamal isn’t walking in it. He’s blazing a path of his own.