Argentine football legend and former Barcelona star Lionel Messi has chosen the player whom he thinks will succeed his legacy at the La Liga club and it is none other than rising sensation Lamine Yamal.
The Inter Miami star heaped praise on the 17-year-old Barcelona star during a recent event in Germany where he was asked which young player he sees as being capable of marking an era, as he did for two decades with eight Ballon d'Or awards, four Champions Leagues and the 2022 World Cup, Forbes reported.
"There's a very good generation of young footballers who have many years ahead of them," said Messi.
"If I have to choose someone, because of the age and because of the future that he has, I've heard that they have chosen Lamine Yamal and without doubt [it's him] for me too.
"I agree it depends on him and many things because that's how soccer is, but he's the present and without a doubt has a huge future," Messi added.
Messi and Yamal are often compared as the both of the left-footed La Masia academy graduates debuted for the Blaugrana first team as teenage prodigies.
To make the comparison even more relevant, a photo of a young Messi appearing to "bless" Yamal when he was a baby resurfaced during Spain's successful Euro 2024 campaign and went viral.
However, it is likely that Barcelona fans may never get to see the duo play together at Camp Nou as Messi is now 37 and currently plies his trade at Inter Miami.
Meanwhile, Yamal has played a significant role in Barca topping La Liga, beating bitter rival Real Madrid and rising up to second place in the UCL league phase after beating Borussia Dortmund in a 3-2 thriller on Wednesday.
Messi also wants to see the Catalans back on top of the sport just as they were in his days at the club.
"I would love to see Barca winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and also the Champions League. And in the years that I can't [see that], that at least it competes until the last moment," said Messi.
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