Rabat – Lamine Yamal, the 15-year-old footballer of Moroccan origins, has made international headlines for eye-catching performances with FC Barcelona, with Spanish media describing him as the “new Messi.”
Peter Jenson, a Spanish football reporter for Daily Mail, said that the Barcelona young star “may be the best talent to come out of Barcelona since Lionel Messi.”
Yamal became the youngest player in the club’s history to be called up to play in the first team. The Moroccan player took part in Barca’s latest La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Barcelona won the game 1-0, taking the team one step closer to winning the domestic league title.
Speaking during the pre-match press conference, Barcelona’s Head Coach Xavi “did not play down the hype” surrounding Yamal, Jenson said.
Talking about Yamal’s impressive skills, Xavi said: He is a natural … He has shown that in some wonderful training sessions.” These new generations don’t have any fear. That’s what I see in Lamine. He’s got a lot of personality to go with his talent” the Spanish coach added.
For Xavi, the 15-year-old player “could start a new era in Barcelona’s history.”
Read also: Euro U17: Barcelona Young Star Lamine Yamal Faces Exclusion due to ‘Indiscipline’ Act
Yamal’s contract with Barca will expire this summer, the Spanish football reporter said, stressing that the Spanish club should table a new deal for him or risk losing him.
Jenson suggested that Yamal’s call-up to the first team was Barca’s attempt to convince the footballer to stay with the Catalans and not sign his first senior contract with another club.
Yamal was born on July 13, 2007, in the Spanish town of Mataro to a Moroccan father while his mother is from Equatorial Guinea. He played for Spain’s U-15, U-16, U-17, and U-19 national teams.
