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Yamal’s talent has seemingly impressed Guti, who is in no doubt that the 17-year-old is already above the level the eight-time Balon d’Or winner, Messi, was when he was as old.
Lamine Yamal. (X)
Real Madrid legend Guti believes Lamine Yamal can do things Lionel Messi couldn’t at 17. The young Spaniard has consistently made headlines in the last couple of years. He has been a regular starter for Barcelona this season, giving several match-winning performances in a Blaugrana shirt. Yamal’s talent has seemingly impressed Guti who is in no doubt that the 17-year-old is already above his level in Madrid and also ahead of Argentine legend Messi.
“I haven’t seen Messi do that at that age. He’s in the First Division and is a second-year youth player. He’s a kid who is currently Barcelona’s benchmark,” Guti said, as per a report from Mundo Deportivo.
Over the last decade, Guti has developed a reputation for making bold claims about current LaLiga players. While the ex-Real Madrid star admitted Yamal was a unique talent, he believed the young Spaniard had yet to show more consistency.
“He’s light years ahead of what I did. The best? What does being the best mean? Being the best means being the best every single match, and he’s not the best every single match,” he said.
Guti later compared Yamal with other Real Madrid stars like Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr while highlighting his key abilities.
“It happens to him like Kylian, like Vinicius. He has a tremendous talent, and we often talk about him not scoring goals, but the fact is that with the passes he makes, he decides the game. He’s a player who decides the game with one play,” Guti said.
Yamal has been in top form for Barcelona this season. The Spanish youngster has competed in 41 matches for the Blaugrana in 2024/25, scoring 13 times and providing 19 assists. Given his recent performances, many fans and experts believe Yamal could be a candidate to challenge Messi’s achievements in Barcelona. As for now, the Argentine’s status at the club remains untouched as the greatest-ever player in their history.
Messi left European football in 2023 to join Inter Miami. While the Argentine has represented the Herons for less than two years, he has already led them to Leagues Cup glory and the MLS Supporters’ Shield. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will next be seen in action when Inter Miami take on Toronto FC in the MLS. The match will be held at the Chase Stadium on April 7.
