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Messi calls Yamal the best of the new generation ahead of final
๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ Slovenia /Sports

Messi calls Yamal the best of the new generation ahead of final

From Delo · () Slovenian

Translated from Slovenian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Lionel Messi praised 19-year-old Lamine Yamal, calling him the best player of the new generation.
  • Messi and Yamal, who first met in 2007 when Messi was 20 and Yamal a baby, will face each other for the first time on the field.
  • Yamal expressed mutual respect for Messi, stating he wants to follow his own path rather than emulate the legendary player.

Lionel Messi has lauded 19-year-old Spanish talent Lamine Yamal as the standout player of the new generation. The Argentine superstar, ahead of a highly anticipated match, expressed his admiration for the young Barcelona forward.

There is a new generation of footballers who are very good and have many years ahead of them, but if I had to choose one because of his age, because of what he has achieved so far, and for the future that may await him, I would choose Lamina. For me, there is no doubt that he is the best.

โ€” Lionel MessiAhead of the World Cup final, praising Lamine Yamal.

"There is a new generation of footballers who are very good and have many years ahead of them, but if I had to choose one because of his age, because of what he has achieved so far, and for the future that may await him, I would choose Lamine. For me, there is no doubt that he is the best," Messi stated.

This high praise comes as Messi and Yamal are set to face each other on the field for the first time. Their paths first crossed in 2007, when a 20-year-old Messi posed for a photo with a baby Yamal. Now, the young prodigy has risen through the ranks at Barcelona, mirroring Messi's own trajectory.

We at Barcelona are very happy to have Lamine Yamal. I say this because what is good for him is also good for our Barcelona.

โ€” Lionel MessiCommenting on Yamal's success at Barcelona.

Yamal, despite his youth and relatively modest statistics this season, has impressed many. Even Argentina's coach, Lionel Scaloni, joked about the difficulty of stopping him, calling Yamal a "treasure for football."

How to stop Yamal? I wish I could lock Lamine in his room.

โ€” Lionel ScaloniJokingly describing the challenge of defending against Yamal.

Yamal himself spoke of mutual respect with Messi, emphasizing his desire to forge his own career. "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," Yamal said. "I want to follow my own path, and that's all. I have no intention of playing like him or wearing the number 10 he wore, or anything like that." He also affirmed his belief that Messi is the greatest player in history.

He is a fantastic player, a real treasure for football. He is still very young and has so much more to offer our sport.

โ€” Lionel ScaloniDescribing Yamal's potential.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delo in Slovenian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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