Lamine Yamal Insists He Doesn’t Want To Be ‘The New Messi’ As Barcelona Star Charts His Own Path

Lamine Yamal has once again made it clear that he is not trying to follow the footsteps of Lionel Messi, insisting that he wants to create his own legacy at Barcelona. The 18-year-old star says he respects the Argentine icon but is tired of being labelled as his successor.

Yamal’s Rise Mirrors Messi’s Path

The comparisons were always inevitable. Yamal broke into Barcelona’s first team at just 15, quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting young footballers in the world. Since then, he has won La Liga, the European Championship with Spain, the Kopa Trophy, and the Golden Boy award, while finishing second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or vote.

But despite following a trajectory similar to Messi’s early years, Yamal insists he is not trying to replicate the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

“I Want To Follow My Own Path”

Speaking to CBS, Yamal said:
“I think Lionel Messi is the best footballer of all time, but he also knows that I’m a good player. There will be mutual respect if we play against each other. He knows that I’m not trying to be him, to play like him, or wear the 10 like him. I want to follow my own path.”

He revealed that Messi influenced his development as a creator rather than a dribbler:
“As a kid, I used to study Messi’s passes. Other players made good passes, but Messi’s passes were pretty much goals. I always thought passing was more interesting than dribbling. It’s weird because I was never really a dribbler—I was more of a goal-scorer and I ran a lot.”

Focused On Football, Not Hype

Despite his growing reputation and the global spotlight, Yamal says he avoids putting pressure on himself.

“I don’t have any expectations. I just think about playing, not setting expectations,” he said. “Expectations can be bad—when you meet them, you feel like there’s nothing left, and when you don’t, you feel frustrated. Playing football is the only thing that makes me forget everything else.”

Future Goals

Yamal isn’t obsessed with records or numbers.
“My goal isn’t to break all records, score a million goals, or play a million matches,” he continued. “I’m an athlete who wants to enjoy himself. I hope kids want to be like me. In the end, the goal is for people to enjoy football.”

Still only 18, Yamal has more than enough time to write his own story—and from all indications, he intends to make it uniquely his.