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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Youngster rewriting the history books</li><li>Another La Masia academy graduate</li><li>Starring for club &amp; country in his teens</li></ul>

‘Not even Lionel Messi was at this level’ – Barcelona & Spain wonderkid Lamine Yamal ‘can’t be compared to anyone’ after shattering more records at 16 years of age

LaLiga

Barcelona

Leganes

Yamal, who has <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/ronaldinho-lionel-messi-lamine-next-why-barcelona-wonderkid-yamal-talent-all-time-greats-rafa-marquez/bltbd812be62e7f8b66" target="_blank">followed Messi out of the famed La Masia academy system</a> in Catalunya, continues to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/europe-lamine-yamal-era-starts-euro-2024-spain-teenage-wonderkid-define-generation/bltc7449ef8e5b5fdd5" target="_blank">rewrite the history books at 16</a> years of age. Having already broken several records with Barca and Spain, he has now become the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lamine-yamal-makes-history-spain-breaks-record-appearance-croatia-euro-2024/blt5432a3582f20c048" target="_blank">youngest player to start a European Championship game and provide an assist</a> at that tournament.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Those marks were hit during a Euro 2024 opener against Croatia, with <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/spain-player-ratings-croatia-lamine-yamal-alvaro-morata/blt4cadab491a033fd2" target="_blank">Yamal catching the eye in an impressive 3-0 victory for La Roja</a>. The precociously-gifted forward will not turn 17 until July 13, with remarkable heights being hit by one so young.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Former Spain international Llorente has told <a href="https://sport.sky.it/calcio " target="_blank">Sky Sport Italia</a> of Yamal’s rapid rise and why he could be considered to sit above all-time greats at this stage of his career: “Not even Messi was at this level at that age. Lamine Yamal does extraordinary things. He can’t be compared to anyone.”

WHAT LLORENTE SAID

Yamal <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/explained-how-barcelona-helping-lamine-yamal-become-next-lionel-messi-16-year-old-wonderkid-different-challenges/blt0baadc6b0b170d64" target="_blank">made his senior debut for Barca at 15</a> and has already passed 50 competitive appearances for the Liga giants. He has eight caps and two goals for his country, with <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/barcelona-wonderkid-lamine-yamal-promises-follow-footsteps-idol-lionel-messi-golden-boy-winner/blta2a833c12141b22f" target="_blank">comparisons to eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi</a> seemingly never far away.

WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

‘Not even Lionel Messi was at this level’ – Barcelona & Spain wonderkid Lamine Yamal ‘can’t be compared to anyone’ after shattering more records at 16 years of age | Goal.com English Saudi Arabia

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal “can’t be compared to anyone”, says Fernando Llorente, as “not even Lionel Messi was at this level at that age”.

‘Not even Lionel Messi was at this level’ – Barcelona &amp; Spain wonderkid Lamine Yamal ‘can’t be compared to anyone’ after shattering more records at 16 years of age