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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="footballco-bet-betsense">{"type":"footballco-bet-betsense","data":{}}</script><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><ul><li>Teenage forward enjoyed meteoric rise</li><li>Has been likened to Argentine superstar</li><li>Hopes to spend many years in Catalunya</li></ul><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>

Lamine Yamal reacts to ‘impossible’ Lionel Messi challenge as Barcelona wonderkid makes €120m transfer admission in bid to become a ‘legend’

<p>At 17 years of age, the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/not-even-lionel-messi-this-level-barcelona-spain-wonderkid-lamine-yamal-cant-be-compared-anyone-shattering-more-records-16/bltb51de68a50e04eb8" target="_blank">La Masia academy graduate has already made history</a> with club and country. He made a senior breakthrough with Barca at 15, before going on to land the European Championship crown with Spain in 2024.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>Given the path that he has taken, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/explained-why-teenage-wonderkid-lamine-yamal-same-path-lionel-messi-barcelona-academy-graduate-make-difference-in-football/blt12d04cd8ebc591fe" target="_blank">obvious comparisons have been drawn with Argentine superstar Messi</a>. Yamal is proud to be mentioned alongside the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, but accepts that he will never scale such heights.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Yamal has told <a href="https://www.antena3.com/programas/el-hormiguero/invitados/lamine-yamal_2024091266e287a0b3741e0001e150de.html " target="_blank"><em>El Hormiguero</em></a> of the seemingly endless debate regarding his <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/barcelona-wonderkid-lamine-yamal-vows-leave-legacy-addresses-comparisons-lionel-messi/blt0ec43bcdd900ca92" target="_blank">chances of following in the most illustrious of footsteps</a>: “I like being compared to the best player in football history, but I want to be myself. Reaching Messi’s level is impossible.”</p>

WHAT YAMAL SAID

<p>While emulating Messi is considered to be too big a challenge, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/barcelona-wonderkid-lamine-yamal-vows-leave-legacy-addresses-comparisons-lionel-messi/blt0ec43bcdd900ca92" target="_blank">Yamal does want to create his own legacy</a>. That means sticking around at Barca for as long as possible – even if big-money transfer bids are tabled. He added on his future, after being told that his market value currently stands at €120 million (£101m/$133m): “I don’t want them to give me those 120 million because I would have to leave Barca. I hope I can never leave Barca, I want to be a legend.”</p>

DID YOU KNOW?

<p>Yamal is well on course to achieving that aim, with a lot being fit into his relatively short career. There is the promise of much more to come, with the talented teenager already being included on the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/bad-card-lamine-yamal-not-happy-ea-sports-fc-25-rating-barcelona-wonderkid-explains-what-needs-change/blt0083684b74a360d4" target="_blank">30-man shortlist for Ballon d’Or honours in 2024</a>.</p>

WHAT NEXT?

Lamine Yamal reacts to ‘impossible’ Lionel Messi challenge as Barcelona wonderkid makes €120m transfer admission in bid to become a ‘legend’ | Goal.com US

Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has reacted to the “impossible” Lionel Messi challenge that he has been set, but is determined to become a “legend”.