Barcelona President Declares Lamine Yamal 'Best in the World' Amid Explosive Messi Comparisons

Barcelona's president Joan Laporta has declared Lamine Yamal the world's finest player at present, while recognizing that the 18-year-old displays characteristics reminiscent of a young Lionel Messi.

Yamal marked his 18th birthday last month by inheriting the iconic No. 10 jersey previously worn by Messi, having solidly positioned himself among the globe's premier talents through his 106 matches for Barcelona thus far.

Parallels drawn between Yamal and Messi have been commonplace since the youngster's professional debut, and while Laporta sought to reduce expectations on the current Barcelona sensation, he admitted both players share generation-defining attributes that are exceptionally rare.

"Leo is Leo and Lamine is Lamine," Laporta stated to CNN. "Messi has been the greatest player in football history, but Lamine, at this moment, stands as the world's premier player. Time will reveal his ultimate potential.

"He possesses remarkable character, similar to Messi during his formative years. He also demonstrates surprisingly advanced maturity, just like Leo. We're discussing a genuine football prodigy, of which few exist and who shapes an entire generation."

While clearly placing significant attention on Yamal, Laporta continued by emphasizing that such enormous pressure isn't beneficial for someone of his age.

"We must provide him with a stable environment and avoid overwhelming him with unrealistic demands," Laporta declared. "He possesses extraordinary ability, and our responsibility is to shield him."

Yamal netted his inaugural goals wearing Barcelona's No. 10 during a thrilling 7–3 victory against FC Seoul, following which he expressed that emulating Messi's legacy has been a lifelong aspiration.

"Being able to find the net wearing this jersey and bearing this number holds tremendous significance," he shared with reporters. "It represents a childhood ambition of mine. I'm extremely pleased with our team's triumph. We deeply appreciate the encouragement we receive globally and anticipate this campaign will bring great success with numerous trophies."