The Lamine Yamal in Barcelona, ​​at 17, is perhaps already the best football player in the world

Lamine Yamal is 17 years old and sometimes – when he does not score goals in the Champions League, nor defenders of floor coverings, or does not drive Barcelona at the top of the Liga – he looked at him. He always wears dental hugs. He obtained his secondary school exam scores in June. Her cheeky and childish smile shines with teenage innocence.

And at other times, like Tuesday evening, he looks like the best football player in the world.

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Because even at 17, he could be. It is no longer a reactionary and exaggerated affirmation. Yamal triggered Barça in the quarterfinals of the Champions League on Tuesday and added to an increasing sample size but which has already been wide.

First of all, he ghosts after two defenders of Benfica, eliminating the two with a single feint. The two rushed by finding Raphinha, perhaps with a little good fortune, at the post furthest for this opening round of 16 games at 16 games.

Then, 16 minutes later, he led diagonally out of the pointAnd always returned a curling shot in the most distant corner.

Barça beat Benfica 3-1 in the night and 4-1 on aggregate.

Yamal has been doing all of this semi-regular for over a year now. He did it at the euros. He did it everywhere in Spain. He has contributed to 45 goals for the club and the country since last February. And again: he is only 17 years old.

When he helped lead Spain to a European championship last summer, he was talked about the future. When he scored or created a goal in each direct elimination match, he was a star in small groups but also a prospect. There were cute stories about how, as minor local laws, would not technically allow him to “work” after a certain hour. There were predictions – apparently too zealous at the time – which one day it could be as good as Lionel Messi.

And now?

“I think it’s silly to compare him to Messi, because Messi is unique and there will never be anyone like him,” said Gavi, Yamal’s Spain and Barcelona teammate, said in January. “Everyone is his own person and writes his own story.”

But then, he continued: “Lame, for me, is the best today.”

There is a hesitation in on -hungry because there are dozens of great players whose curriculum vitae is more extensive. There is Rodri, the defending golden ball winner. There is Mo Salah, who, in his eighth year in Liverpool, had the best 2024-25 season of anyone in world football. There is Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr., who have been doing things like lamine for much longer.

But Yamal, at least occasionally, looks like a more complete player. He lead the league in assists and actions to create objectives. Its progressive dribble numbers are almost tied with Vini. And his sauce too. Some of his ball skills are astounding. His personal list of “defenders I made appear silly” is already ridiculously long.

Oh, and it improves teammates. He contributed to the Raphinha career year; He helped extend the exploits of Robert Lewandowski. He also defends and does all of this in a Barça team which could, largely thanks to him, be the best in Europe and the favorite of the Champions League.

It is on a Messi type trajectory. This does not mean that it will be equal to the goat – the careers are not linear, and the injuries can interfere – but it is no longer a bizarre thing to say.

And although he probably does not yet have the throne of the “best in the world”, he could very well at the end of the year.