Messi Is the Greatest Of All Time – Yamal

Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has once again heaped praise on Lionel Messi, declaring the Argentine legend as not only the finest footballer to ever grace the pitch but also the greatest athlete across any sport.

The 17-year-old Spanish winger made the emphatic statement after receiving the prestigious 2026 Laureus World Young Sportsperson of the Year award, an honor that recognizes his own rapid ascent in the football world.

Speaking to TribalFootball during the awards ceremony, Yamal reflected on Messi’s profound influence on his generation. “When you realise that an athlete is not just a legend in his own sport but in all others, it’s because he’s the best,” the young Barcelona star said.

“Messi is an example. He’s the best footballer in history and also the best athlete. For me, he’s not just any idol.”

Yamal, who has drawn frequent comparisons to Messi due to his dazzling dribbling, low centre of gravity, and creative playmaking, emphasised that the Inter Miami icon shaped the childhood of virtually every young player coming up today.

“The whole world respects him for everything he’s done, for the example he’s set, and I hope to follow in his footsteps,” Yamal added.

The Spanish international’s comments come at a time when Messi, now 38, continues to captivate audiences in Major League Soccer, while Yamal himself has become the face of Barcelona’s new era.

Despite the weight of expectation that comes with being labelled “the next Messi,” Yamal has consistently downplayed such comparisons, instead choosing to honour the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as an unreachable benchmark.

Yamal’s Laureus award adds to a growing list of accolades for the young forward, who broke into Barcelona’s first team at just 15 and has since become a regular for the Spanish national team.

Yet, in his moment of personal triumph, he chose to shine the spotlight on the man he considers the eternal standard.

“Messi is a true icon,” Yamal concluded. “He’s the reason many of us fell in love with football. To even be mentioned in the same sentence as him is a dream, but my goal is to write my own story, always with him as my inspiration.”