There are portraits that precede greatness, snapshots of youthful genius. The boy with the indie-band bangs celebrating on Ronaldinho’s again, the bleach-blonde teen with blaugrana braces leaving a path of Inter defenders in his wake.
Nearly precisely 20 years separated Lionel Messi’s first aim for Barcelona and Lamine Yamal’s sensational Champions League semi-final strike on his a centesimal look for the Catalan giants final Wednesday.
Yamal, a month youthful than Messi was when he lobbed the goalkeeper from Ronaldinho’s scooped help to develop into La Liga’s youngest scorer in 2005, has already gained a European Championship with Spain and a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Tremendous Cup with Barcelona.
“I do not wish to examine myself with one of the best participant in soccer’s historical past,” stated the ahead earlier than his beautiful particular person efficiency in opposition to Inter, however conjecture round whether or not he can emulate Messi is pure.
The stats present Yamal’s trajectory since his debut aged 15 years and 290 days goes up sooner than both Messi or the opposite famous person of his era, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Yamal hit a century of Barcelona appearances two months shy of his 18th birthday. By the identical age, Messi had scored as soon as in 9 senior video games for Barca whereas Ronaldo had netted 5 targets in 19 video games for Sporting.
Yamal has 22 targets and 27 assists to his identify, plus 4 extra targets in his 19 appearances for Spain. Neither Messi or Ronaldo made their worldwide debut till they turned 18.
It took Messi, who made his debut at 16, till shortly earlier than his twenty first birthday to hit the 100-game mark in Barcelona colors, scoring 41 targets within the course of.
However they have been the primary of an unimaginable 672 for the membership, to enrich the eight Ballon d’Ors, one World Cup, two Copas America, 4 Champions Leagues and an enormous haul of home silverware.
“It isn’t regular,” says former Barcelona midfielder Mark van Bommel of Yamal’s rise. “That is why everyone seems to be speaking about him. [But] to achieve the variety of Messi, that is not straightforward. Even for a man taking part in at 17.”
