Sports Desk – Many consider Lamine Yamal to be the standout footballer of the current generation. Spain’s head coach, Luis de la Fuente, has also hailed the Barcelona starlet as the ultimate talent of modern times.
However, he remains reluctant to draw direct comparisons between Yamal and Lionel Messi. In an exclusive interview with the influential British media outlet The Guardian, the Spanish coach stated that both players are simply “blessed by God.”
Despite being a teenager, Yamal already shoulders the attacking burden for a powerhouse club like Barcelona. He is equally impactful for the Spain national team, having already guided them to a Euros triumph.
To De la Fuente, Yamal possesses a natural flair reminiscent of Messi. He believes the skill Yamal displays is a trait found only in true football geniuses.
As Yamal prepares for his first-ever World Cup, the coach is confident that the youngster will not crumble under pressure. Instead, he expects Yamal to thrive on the grandest stage.
“Yamal was born for this,” De la Fuente said. “He is a brave character. Pressure might overwhelm you or me, but these boys are special. How often do we ask about a player, ‘How good is he? What happened to him? Why couldn’t he do it?’ Because in football, you don’t just need to be good; a thousand other things have to align.”
The coach further added, “Lamine was only 16 during the last Euros. Now he is 18. He has to endure ruthless media scrutiny, yet he rarely makes a mistake.” De la Fuente also argued that young footballers should face less criticism when they do falter.
“One minute, one mistake, and suddenly the dissection of that player begins. They work hard for hours, day after day. They spend time with physios, nutritionists, and psychologists. That effort deserves respect.”
A decade and a half ago, a viral photo showed a young Messi holding a baby Yamal during a photoshoot. However, the two have never faced each other on a professional football pitch. Because of Yamal’s rapid rise at Barcelona, comparisons to Messi are frequent.
While De la Fuente acknowledges Yamal’s extraordinary talent, he believes burdening his shoulders with Messi’s legacy is unfair. Yamal himself has dismissed these comparisons multiple times. De la Fuente firmly kept Messi on a pedestal, stating:
“The name Messi carries immense weight. Messi is football—he was, he is, and he always will be.”
Nevertheless, the coach believes Yamal shares a divine spark with the Argentine maestro. “All professional footballers have the capacity to achieve great things. They are highly intelligent; they are geniuses. But some of them are also blessed by God. Take Messi, and take Lamine…”
Yamal is currently sidelined due to an injury, but the coach is optimistic about having him fit from Spain’s very first World Cup match. Spain will kick off their World Cup campaign against Cape Verde on June 15.