As a young gem from La Masía, Lamine Yamal is inevitably being compared to Lionel Messi. This was acknowledged by Deco, former teammate of the Argentine star and now Barcelona sporting director, who is tasked with guiding the Spanish youngster development.

In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Deco said that comparisons are a natural part of football, especially when players share similar traits.

“In the end, everyone has their own story you can’t really compare. But I understand that at Barça, comparisons will always be made. That’s just how football is,” he said.

He Doesn’t Like Comparisons, But Accepts Them

Although Deco admitted he’s not fond of comparing players, he accepted it as something inevitable in the world of football.

“Can we avoid it? No. Should we avoid it? People will still compare. We can’t stop it because football is about emotion and passion. It’s normal for people to talk, to compare, to remember. It’s always been like that and won’t change,” he explained.

Still, he emphasized that Lamine Yamal story doesn’t need to follow the same path as Messi.

Taking the Pressure Off Lamine Yamal

Deco also tried to ease the pressure on the young forward by highlighting the context of his emergence. He noted that aside from both coming through Barça youth academy and making an early breakthrough, their circumstances are quite different.

“Leo joined a club that already had an established dynamic. Lamine is part of a revolution, a rebuilding process. These are very different moments,” he pointed out.

Finally, Deco said that being compared to Messi shouldn’t be seen as a burden, but rather as a source of motivation.

“When you’re being compared to someone like Leo, it means you’ve got something special. I don’t think it’s a problem for him more like a point of pride. Whether it’s good or bad depends on him. He’s still growing, and I don’t see it as an issue,” he concluded.