Former Spain International Claims Yamal Shouldn’t Be Compared to Messi

Ex-Barcelona forward David Villa believes that comparing the club’s winger Lamine Yamal to former Catalan star Lionel Messi is misguided.

"Lamine is one of a kind, he’s special. We’ve never seen anything like him before. He’s young but incredibly mature for his age. However, I’ve said many times that comparing any player to Messi is a big mistake. This applies to any footballer, whether it's Lamine, Haaland, or Mbappe… Yamal should not be compared to Messi because Lionel is unique. But what this young man is achieving... His performance makes us wonder where his limits lie," Villa told Marca.

This season, the 17-year-old winger has featured in five La Liga matches for Barcelona, scoring three goals and providing four assists. According to Transfermarkt, the player’s market value is estimated at 120 million euros.