Published by Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has ended all speculation about who he considers the greatest footballer in history, declaring Lionel Messi as the undisputed best and placing the Argentine icon among the greatest athletes of all time. The 18-year-old Spanish international made the emphatic statement on Monday after receiving the Best Young Athlete award at the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid, a ceremony that has become a platform for Yamal to cement his status as one of the most influential young figures in world sport.
During his acceptance speech, Yamal did not hesitate when asked about the inevitable comparisons that have followed his meteoric rise. “Messi, for me, is the best player in history, and if he is not the greatest athlete in history, he is right up there,” the teenager said without a moment of doubt.
He elaborated on the deep admiration he holds for the former Barcelona captain, stressing that Messi's influence transcends the boundaries of football. “He is not a legend only in his sport,” Yamal added, highlighting the global impact of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
The young winger, who has frequently been compared to his idol since breaking into Barcelona's first team as a 15-year-old, took the opportunity to clarify his stance on the 'GOAT' debate.
Despite his own staggering achievements, which include leading Spain to victory at Euro 2024 at just 16, Yamal made it clear that placing any player on the same pedestal as Messi would be a mistake. “When you realize an athlete isn't just a legend of their sport but of all sports, Messi, who for me is the best player in history, and if he isn't the greatest athlete ever, he's definitely in that conversation with all of them,” he told the gathering of sporting legends. His words carried particular weight given that Messi remains the only footballer to have won the prestigious Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award, a feat he achieved in 2020 and again in 2023 following Argentina's World Cup triumph.
What stood out most in Yamal's tribute was his reflection on Messi's role in shaping an entire generation. “He is more than an idol,” Yamal said. “I think everyone respects him for everything he has done. He has been part of the childhood of every kid when we played in the park or at school.”
The statement underscores the profound connection between the young prodigy and the man whose posters adorned his bedroom wall growing up. Yamal, who famously posed for a photograph with Messi as a baby in a Barcelona locker room, has often spoken about how the Argentine's effortless style and insatiable hunger for victory inspired his own development.
After helping Barcelona claim a domestic treble of La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, and the Copa del Rey in the 2024/25 season, Yamal has continued to break records in the current campaign. He has registered 23 goals and 18 assists in just 44 appearances across all competitions, a season that also included his first senior hat-trick against Villarreal in February 2026 and becoming the youngest player in the club's history to reach 100 league appearances.
This latest Laureus Award marks his second consecutive win, following his historic “Breakthrough of the Year” triumph in 2025 for his role in Spain's European Championship victory.
Despite the mounting accolades and comparisons, Yamal remained humble, expressing his singular ambition to follow the path blazed by his idol. “Everyone respects him for what he has achieved, and I hope I can follow in his footsteps,” he said. The teenager closed his speech with a forward-looking message about the responsibility of a new generation of athletes. “I believe that sport has the power to change the world. This statuette represents a new generation of athletes who can bring about that change. I am proud to be the first to receive this Laureus.” As the football world looks ahead to the 2026 World Cup, where Argentina and Spain could potentially face each other, the prospect of Yamal coming up against his childhood hero on the grandest stage of all adds an intriguing subplot to an already compelling narrative.
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