(Photo : Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA – Thiago Messi (#10) of IMCF U12 reacts to his teammates goal during the Youth International Cup Opening Ceremony match at Chase Stadium on May 24, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The football world is already filled with players who are already dominant at an early age.
There is Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius, and Kylian Mbappe.
However, none of the names above caught the eyes of the child of one of the greatest footballers ever.
Lionel Messi’s son Thiago is trying to make a name for himself in the sport that his father dominated.
Thiago, the first of the three sons Lionel and Antonela bore, recently participated in the La Liga FC Futures as part of his dad’s current club, Inter Miami.
The team lost in the group stage, but Thiago was interviewed afterward, and he talked about his plans as a footballer.
The most striking was his statement about who he wanted to play with in the future.
Whose name did he drop? It’s Lamine Yamal of Barcelona.
Thiago will turn 12, and Yamal is only 16. Messi’s son might have a hard time keeping up with Lamine.
The kid, however, definitely has an eye for talent.
Who is Lamine Yamal?
Lamine Yamal might not be a powerhouse name yet, but many predict he could be on his way.
The 16-year-old Spanish made his debut in the seniors for Barcelona last season. He scored five goals in 38 appearances.
When he joined the XI against Cadiz, he was the youngest starter for FC Barcelona, leading his team to a 2-0 win.
His best game in his senior debut season was when he was named Man of the Match in a win over Villarreal in August after assisting two goals scored by team veterans Gavi and Robert Lewandowski.
He is currently part of Spain’s squad for Euro 2024 and is expected to be an excellent footballer, as he has shown in the domestic league.
His idols growing up are Neymar and Lionel Messi.
Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi comparison
Thiago might be seeing his father in Yamal. Thus, the choice.
The young winger has been compared to the Barcelona legend ever since he made his youth club debut in 2013. This is because of his shiftiness, low center of gravity, smooth first touch, peripherals on the field, and more.
He tries to dismiss the comparisons, saying Lionel Messi stands alone at the top.
“That’s a comparison I leave to others, but there will never be another player like Leo Messi,” he said in March this year.
He can deny it as much as he wants, but there’s no stopping people from pushing that narrative, especially now that he is becoming Barcelona’s next great hope, just like Messi did in the late 2000s.
It’s a good thing he’s in an established youth club, which he says is helpful in unlocking his talent.
“It has been incredibly beneficial for me in all areas: personally, academically, and as a footballer,” he said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.
“La Masia means everything to me. It’s clear now that La Masia plays a crucial role and has helped many of us make it to the first team.”
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