Former Barcelona coach and club legend Xavi Hernández didn’t hold back when speaking about Lamine Yamal, the young Barça prodigy who, at just 18 years old, has already established himself as one of the brightest talents in world football. The Catalan coach, who gave him his first-team debut at only 15, directly compared him to Lionel Messi and Neymar, claiming that the forward “is one of the chosen ones” destined to define an era in football.

“He’s a chosen one, like Messi or Neymar”

In an interview with Cronache di Spogliatoio, Xavi explained that he was amazed by the winger’s talent from the very first training sessions. “At 15 or 16, he was already dribbling past professionals. In every session, we made bets on who would be the best player that day — and almost always, it was him. He did special things, things you’d only see from players like Messi or Neymar,” he said.

The former Barça midfielder highlighted Yamal’s maturity and fearlessness, qualities he considers key to his development. “He never had complexes, never feared anything. He was always able to make a difference, even against much older players. What he’s doing at his age is simply wonderful,” he added.

Carving his own path, not living in Messi’s shadow

Although comparisons with Lionel Messi have become inevitable, Lamine Yamal himself has made it clear that his goal is to write his own story. “I’ve tried to follow my own path. Messi is the best in history, no doubt, and we share many things: we’re both left-footed, we play for Barcelona, and we operate on the right wing. But I want to build my own legacy and have people remember my name for what I do on the pitch,” the young star said.

With over 100 official appearances for the first team and 23 caps for the Spanish national team, the teenager has already broken several records and cemented his place as a player for the present — not just the future.

“He has Ballon d’Or potential”

Xavi had no doubts when predicting that Yamal is destined to win a Ballon d’Or in the coming years. “We used to say it among the coaching staff: he’s Ballon d’Or material. From the very first day in training, we knew he was different. He’s one of the chosen ones,” he revealed.

Currently, Lamine Yamal is recovering from a pubic injury that will keep him out for a few weeks, though the goal is for him to be fit in time for El Clásico against Real Madrid on October 26.

With praise placing him alongside the game’s greats, Yamal now faces the challenge of proving that his talent isn’t just a promise — it’s a reality destined to shape football history.