Gerrard says Yamal ahead of Messi, Ronaldo at same age
Lamine Yamal is already a level up from where Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were at the same age as the Barcelona superstar. That is the view of Liverpool and England great Steven Gerrard, who thinks Yamal is already proving himself as a calibre above his peers, too.
Yamal has been a phenomenon since he broke into Barca's first team in 2023.
At the age of 19 years and 120 days, Yamal has already played 167 games for Barca, scoring 62 goals and laying on 57 assists. He has made 37 appearances for Spain, registering 23 goal involvements for La Roja, and playing a key role in their Euro 2024 and World Cup 2026 triumphs.
Gerrard feels Yamal is well ahead of the curve even when compared to the iconic Messi and Ronaldo.
"He's the one player I would say who potentially has that level [of Messi and Ronaldo] if he continues to evolve," Gerrard said.
"Mbappe and Haaland are around there, in terms of being in their prime years right now, but it seems to me that Lamine is just a bit above that.
"The biggest challenge for him - and those around him at Barcelona - is how they keep him hungry?
"In terms of talent and potential, he's doing things on a football pitch that I've never seen a 19-year-old do.
"He's more advanced than Ronaldo was at 19. I played against Messi as a youngster, and he's probably more advanced than he was too."
Messi made his Barca debut at the age of 17 in 2004, while at 19, Ronaldo was playing regularly for Manchester United.
The big question for Gerrard is whether Yamal can match the consistent heights that both Messi and Ronaldo have managed over the years.
"Is he going to have the consistency that they both had?" Gerrard said. "Can he get the goals they did – and will he evolve into a number nine?"
Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana
Spain
