Former Real Madrid and England icon David Beckham has heaped praise on Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal, suggesting the teenage sensation has the potential to reach the legendary heights of Lionel Messi.
Yamal burst onto the scene with Barcelona last season and has continued to rise rapidly, cementing his place in the starting lineup. The 17-year-old Spanish international has racked up an impressive 15 goals and 24 assists in 51 appearances this season, becoming one of the standout performers for the Catalan giants.
His breakthrough campaign has already been decorated with silverware, including the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de España. Additionally, he played a key role in Spain’s triumph at the European Championships. Barcelona are also leading the LaLiga title race, and Yamal’s contributions have drawn comparisons to none other than Lionel Messi.
Speaking on a interview, Beckham acknowledged the difficulty of comparing anyone to Messi but admitted Yamal is the closest he has seen.
“You see the way he plays, and at 17 years old, to be doing the things that he’s doing on a pitch — only every 20, 30 years does a player like that come along, and maybe longer than that,” Beckham said.
“He’s the first player that you look at and you can… I mean, you can’t compare anyone to Messi, in my opinion. But he’s the closest thing that I have seen. One day, I believe that he could be as good as Leo,” he added.
Yamal is currently under contract with Barcelona until 2026, but he is expected to sign a new long-term deal after turning 18 this summer.
