Barcelona’s youngest prodigy, Lamine Yamal, is widely compared to the king Leo Messi. Both are left-footed, generational talents, and La Masia wonders. As both players are alike in many ways, it’s essential to impose that Yamal is not the next ‘Messi’. The kid is the first of his kind, and let’s talk about why pigeonholing him as Leo’s heir ignores his revolution and the lessons it teaches.
Lamine Yamal Must Not be Labelled as a ‘Messi Clone’: Here’s Why
Modern culers are quick to label young talents as the next Leo Messi. First, it was Bojan Krkic, who was widely regarded as the next Messi. Then came Ansu Fati in 2019, reckoned as Messi’s heir and put under the immense pressure of the iconic number 10 jersey. And now it’s Yamal. The kid has broken records at just 17, and now he is widely regarded as Messi’s next heir.
But modern football demands are somewhat different. Leo dominated as a winger at 19 and later dominated as a free-roaming false nine. However, Yamal thrives as a shape-shifting winger. The kid has the most assists in Europe at the moment and has sizzled defenders through his skills. Yamal must not be compared to Leo because La Pulga played in a slower, less dynamic time. Football has evolved, and Yamal is thriving in this modern format better than anyone.
Yamal Thrives Under Pressure Where Comparisons Crushed Others
Comparisons crush talents. As discussed earlier, Krkic was a superb Catalan talent. But the youngster buckled under the ‘Next Messi’ tag. Ansu Fati’s injuries were also crucial in derailing his momentum, and now the La Masia star is directionless. But Yamal? He looks like a different breed.
That is because Yamal thrives under pressure. He loves to play out of his comfort and literally engages his fans directly regarding this mentality. His social media posts, training clips and comfort with fame reflect a mental armour. The kid loves the pressure that crushed others before him. Yamal does not care about these Messi tags; he just loves to play quality football. And he’s winning.
Yamal’s Playing Style Differs From messi
Lamine Yamal is a fantastic dribbler, and has a vicious left-foot. This reminds most fans of Leo Messi, but this is where most people go wrong. Yamal’s dribbling style, runs, chances creation and scoring is a lot different than Messi’s. Messi was more of a diagonal dribbler, who used to move from right to left while dribbling. Leo’s touches were quick, subtle and magically soft.
But Yamal is more of a stylist while dribbling. Maybe he is a bit like Neymar but the flair feels different. The La Masia kid has his own charisma and brings a different aura to the table. The way he executes his passes with precision, and the bending to the ball with his left. It’s just sublime, and a different eye feast for football fans. He’s a lot taller than Messi, but strangely does not fall back in dribbling. It’s wondrous, magical and a blessing for football fans to see him play.