Based on the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, many will not like the assertion: but Barca’s wizard baller, Lamine Yamal, has declared that Messi is the greatest player in soccer history.
He said this as he hit the two milestones of turning 18 and earning Messi’s No 10 shirt.
“I don’t compare myself with him,” he said. “I don’t want to compare myself with anyone, and even less with Messi. That’s something I leave to you.
“He is the best player in football’s history. I am making my own way.”
So, what are we doing talking about Messi in a Lamine Yamal piece? It is to create some context, because there are some stunning statistics.
Lamine Yamal turned 18 on Sunday by which time he had played 106 first-team games – 73 in La Liga, 23 in Europe, six in the Copa del Rey and four others.
By the time Messi turned 18, despite having become – at 17 years, three months and 22 days – the youngest player to represent Barcelona in an official competition, he had played nine first-team games for the club.
It has now been confirmed Lamine Yamal will wear Barcelona’s iconic number 10 next season as he follows in the footsteps of Messi.
Both started wearing number 19, followed by 10 – a number donned by some of the club’s greats.
The names read like a who’s who of footballing royalty. Messi, of course, Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Romario, Hristo Stoichkov, Juan Roman Riquelme, Pep Guardiola and Laszlo Kubala.
Out of respect, Lamine Yamal did not entertain conversations about it while Ansu Fati, the previous wearer, was still at the club, but he has since moved to Monaco.
Even before Barcelona announced anything officially, there has been a dramatic surge in sales of said shirt. That commercial value will only grow now.
Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights has asked the country’s prosecutor’s office to investigate the Barcelona winger after he reportedly hired people with dwarfism to perform at his 18th birthday party – just hours after being handed the shirt.
