Is Lamine Yamal’s Barcelona record better than Messi’s as a teenager? | Football
Lamine Yamal Shines in Barcelona’s Latest Champions League Victory
Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal delivered a standout performance in the team’s recent UEFA Champions League match against Galatasaray, contributing two assists in the span of three minutes and earning the Player of the Match award. The 19-year-old’s stellar play continues a trend of exceptional performances eight weeks into the club football season.
Although not in his breakthrough season—Yamal first made headlines as a 16-year-old during the 2023-24 season—his recent consistency for both club and country has led to comparisons with some of football’s greatest young talents.
Yamal’s form has been particularly remarkable since returning from the FIFA World Cup, where he was part of the victorious Spanish squad. In just ten matches this season across all competitions, he has scored eight goals and provided nine assists, totaling 17 goal contributions.
Notably, famed Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi recorded 14 goal contributions—eight goals and six assists—in his 2008-09 season at the same age, when he won his first Ballon d’Or.
As Yamal prepares for a potential race for the Ballon d’Or in 11 days, he faces competition from Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe and England’s Harry Kane. Mbappe, who has achieved significant success at Real Madrid, leads the team with a history of impressive goal-scoring, particularly during his time at Paris Saint-Germain.
In his first ten games for Real Madrid after joining in 2024, Mbappe recorded 16 goal contributions. This is one fewer than Yamal’s current tally, highlighting the competitive nature of their early careers.
While direct comparisons between Yamal and Messi are premature, both players have accomplished similar feats early in their careers, such as scoring braces in their first five La Liga games. Messi achieved this as a 25-year-old in the 2012-13 season, while Yamal has accomplished the same feat this year.
An iconic moment from April 2007 saw Messi score a memorable solo goal against Getafe, shortly before Yamal was born. Both players were recently brought back into the spotlight by a viral photograph of a young Messi and baby Yamal, which resurfaced during the World Cup.
Yamal expressed his admiration for Messi after the World Cup final, revealing he thanked the legendary player for his contributions to football. The match itself saw Yamal’s Spain triumph over Messi’s Argentina, enhancing the narrative of a “master versus apprentice” rivalry.
Currently, Yamal’s goal tally in La Liga surpasses that of three other teams, including Valencia and Getafe. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick praised Yamal’s contributions, noting that his ability to create chances is evident both in training and matches.
“It’s incredible to have players like that; he’s turned the game around for us,” Flick remarked following the team’s 4-1 win over Galatasaray.
