Laporta: Lamine Yamal is having a great World Cup, Messi's is 'extraordinary'

Joan Laporta, the president of FC Barcelona, has lauded the performances of young Spanish talent Lamine Yamal and football legend Lionel Messi at the ongoing World Cup.

Laporta stated that Yamal is having a "great World Cup," noting that the 16-year-old has already been named Most Valuable Player (MVP) in a couple of matches. He extended his support to all Barcelona players participating in the tournament, including Pedri, Dani Olmo, and Pau Cubarsí, emphasizing their strong contributions to their respective national teams.

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I think Lamine is having a great World Cup, he has been chosen MVP a couple of games. The others are also doing very well, all of them. Pedri, Olmo, Cubarsí... all.

Addressing Pedri's recent substitution in a match against Belgium, Laporta suggested it was a matter of managing player effort during the demanding tournament rather than a reflection of his importance. He described Pedri as a key player for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team, whose talent is "extraordinary."

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The World Cup of Messi is extraordinary. He has scored many goals, some of them of great quality. With that talent, Messi is always good.

Laporta reserved special praise for Lionel Messi, calling his World Cup campaign "extraordinary." He highlighted Messi's consistent goal-scoring prowess and the high quality of his goals. Laporta attributed Messi's continued success at an advanced age to his exceptional talent, contrasting him with other players whose abilities diminish with age. He also commended Argentina's cohesive team play, noting how they effectively set up Messi to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

Laporta made these remarks upon arriving in Dallas to support the Spanish national team in their upcoming match against France, acknowledging it would be a challenging game. He expressed regret for Barcelona players on opposing teams, such as Jules Koundé with France and Anthony Gordon with England, but reiterated his primary focus on supporting Spain.

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I come to support the Spanish national team against France, it will be a complicated match.