A teenager who already thinks like a superstar

At just 18 years old, Lamine Yamal lives a reality few players ever reach: he’s Barça’s No. 10, a Ballon d’Or runner-up, and one of the most influential young talents in world football.

His interview with CBS News on 60 Minutes confirmed a feeling growing around Barcelona: Lamine doesn’t just play like a veteran — he thinks like one.

And from all the headlines he produced, one sentence rose above the rest:

“I don’t want to be Messi — and he knows it.”

A declaration that blends admiration, ambition, and identity.
Far from distancing himself from Lionel Messi, it frames exactly what Lamine wants: a path of his own.

“Messi is the best ever… but I want to follow my own path”

When asked about the constant comparisons with Messi, Lamine showed remarkable maturity — the kind that explains why Barcelona sees him as a long-term leader.

“I respect him for what he has been and what he is for football. To me, he’s the best in history.”
“But neither do I want to be Messi, nor does Messi want me to be him.”

It’s a sentence that defines him: total admiration without imitation.
He doesn’t want to wear the No. 10 "because of Messi," doesn’t want to copy Messi’s style, doesn’t want to live in someone else’s blueprint.

Lamine Yamal wants to be Lamine Yamal.
And that mindset alone electrifies the Barça fanbase.

Football as joy… and as purpose

Throughout the interview, Lamine reinforced an idea that has become his trademark: he plays to enjoy the game and to entertain the people.

“My football is about fun. I play so people can enjoy watching. It's not about a million records or a million goals.”

It’s a philosophy deeply connected to Barcelona’s DNA: football as creativity, expression, and inspiration.
Lamine sees the sport not as a race for numbers, but as a stage where he can bring joy — especially to the kids who look up to him.

For a club that thrives on identity, that message lands perfectly.

Messi as an inspiration… but never as a limit

Lamine admitted that as a kid he admired Messi’s passes and Modric’s outside-of-the-boot touches. But even there, his point was clear: he does not want to become a replica.

He wants to build something of his own — a legacy that stands on its own.

That is why his line about Messi resonated so strongly:
not because it rejects a comparison, but because it embraces a new possibility.

Barcelona doesn’t need “the next Messi.” Barcelona needs Lamine Yamal. And he knows it.

A new era shaped by a fearless identity

Between reflections on the Euros, the World Cup, his upbringing and his role at Barcelona, Lamine left a message that defines his character: he isn’t scared of expectations — he welcomes them, as long as they don’t force him to be someone he isn’t.

In a football world that often devours young stars, Lamine stands out as something different:
a fearless 18-year-old who embraces the spotlight without letting it shape his identity.

And at the heart of it all, the phrase that traveled the world:

“I don’t want to be Messi — and he knows it.”

Not rebellion. Not ego. Just a promise:

Lamine Yamal isn’t here to imitate an era. He’s here to start his own.