Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old Barcelona sensation, has captured the attention of the football world with his dazzling performances and meteoric rise. The young winger, who recently finished second in the Ballon d'Or rankings, has drawn comparisons to legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, not everyone is convinced that Yamal will reach the same heights as these iconic figures.
Former French international Louis Saha has cautioned against such comparisons, stating that Yamal lacks the "manic focus" and "obsession" that drove Messi and Ronaldo to greatness. Saha suggested that external factors and distractions could hinder Yamal's development, potentially leading him down a path similar to Neymar, who, despite immense talent, failed to fully dominate the sport.
"Will Lamine Yamal one day surpass Messi? It would be nice, but I don't see it that way," Saha said in an interview with UK-based OLBG. "There's no doubt about his talent. However, I haven't yet felt the manic focus that Messi and Ronaldo have, where they pour everything into football".
Saha added, "There are already many external factors around Yamal. He could be swept away by such trends. Like Neymar, for instance. Neymar might have had even greater talent, but surrounding elements shook him".
Yamal joined Barcelona's La Masia academy at the age of 7 and made his La Liga debut at just 15 years old, becoming the youngest player in the club's history. He has already won two La Liga titles, one Spanish Super Cup, and one Copa del Rey. At UEFA Euro 2024, he was named the Best Young Player after leading Spain to victory.
Despite his early success, Saha believes that Yamal's potential could be wasted if he doesn't maintain the same level of dedication and focus as Messi and Ronaldo. He pointed to the increasing media attention and off-field distractions surrounding the young player as potential pitfalls.
"I'm scared that this talent could be wasted because we are starting to see too many things in the papers about him," Saha said. "That's going to be a sad story because he has everything to be what he wants to be".
However, not everyone agrees with Saha's assessment. Messi and Ronaldo themselves have praised Yamal's talent, with Messi stating that "Yamal is already the present, and his future will be even greater," and Ronaldo remarking that "He has the talent to become one of the best players of this generation".
Yamal, for his part, has acknowledged the comparisons to Messi but insists on forging his own path. In a recent interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," he stated, "It's mutual respect, and I think we both know that I don't want to be Messi, and Messi knows that I don't want to be him. I want to follow my own path, and that's it".
He also clarified that he does not want to "play like him or be – or wearing the number 10 that Messi wore, or anything like that". While recognizing Messi as the greatest of all time, Yamal has also expressed admiration for Neymar, even modeling aspects of his game after the Brazilian star.
Whether Lamine Yamal will ultimately reach the heights of Messi and Ronaldo remains to be seen. His talent and potential are undeniable. According to FIFACM, Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana's rating is 89, and his potential is 95. However, as Louis Saha and others have pointed out, achieving true greatness requires more than just talent. It demands unwavering dedication, focus, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Only time will tell if Yamal possesses these qualities in sufficient measure to etch his name alongside the legends of the game.
