Lamine Yamal speaks candidly about Messi's greatness

Lamine Yamal continues to affirm his status as the world's top young star by winning the Laureus award, while also offering special praise for the legend Lionel Messi.

Barcelona's young forward, Lamine Yamal, could not hide his admiration for the legend Lionel Messi after winning the "Breakthrough Athlete of the Year" award at the Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony held in Madrid on April 20.

At 18 years old, Yamal was honored as the outstanding young talent under 21, concluding the explosive 2024/25 season where he played a major role in helping Barcelona win the domestic treble and advance to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League. Previously, he also finished second in the Ballon d'Or race and consecutively won the Kopa Trophy twice.

Speaking after receiving the award, Yamal affirmed that Messi's stature extends beyond the realm of football: “When you realize an athlete is not just a legend in their sport but in all sports, that is Messi. To me, he is the greatest player in history. If not the greatest athlete of all time, he certainly belongs in that group.”

The young Spanish star, champion of UEFA Euro 2024, also emphasized that Messi is a great inspiration for every generation: “He is not just an idol. Everyone respects what he has done. Messi is part of every child's childhood when playing football in parks or schools. I hope I can follow the path he has created.”

Notably, Yamal previously won the Laureus 2025 "Discovery of the Year" award, thereby becoming the youngest person to receive this prestigious honor twice.

On the other hand, Messi has also given many compliments to the young talent nurtured at La Masia. In a 2025 interview, the Argentine superstar praised Yamal's remarkable development: “What Lamine has shown is truly impressive. He won the Euro with Spain at just 17 years old. He is still developing and will improve further. Yamal possesses extraordinary qualities and is already one of the best players in the world.”

Currently, Yamal has made 150 appearances for Barcelona across all competitions, contributing a total of 100 goal involvements, including 48 goals—astonishing numbers for a player still in his teens.