His Stats Are Better, But Will Yamal Build Legacy To Rival Messi?

There are portraits that precede greatness, snapshots of youthful genius. The boy pinch nan indie-band bangs celebrating connected Ronaldinho's back, nan bleach-blonde teen pinch blaugrana braces leaving a way of Inter defenders successful his wake.

Almost precisely 20 years separated Lionel Messi's first extremity for Barcelona and Lamine Yamal's sensational Champions League semi-final onslaught connected his 100th quality for nan Catalan giants past Wednesday.

Yamal, a period younger than Messi was erstwhile he lobbed nan goalkeeper from Ronaldinho's scooped assistance to go La Liga's youngest scorer successful 2005, has already won a European Championship pinch Spain and a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Super Cup pinch Barcelona.

"I don't want to comparison myself pinch nan champion subordinate successful football's history," said nan guardant earlier his stunning individual capacity against Inter, but conjecture astir whether he tin emulate Messi is natural.

The stats show Yamal's trajectory since his debut aged 15 years and 290 days is going up faster than either Messi aliases nan different superstar of his generation, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Yamal deed a period of Barcelona appearances 2 months awkward of his 18th birthday. By nan aforesaid age, Messi had scored erstwhile successful 9 elder games for Barca while Ronaldo had netted 5 goals successful 19 games for Sporting.

Yamal has 22 goals and 27 assists to his name, positive 4 much goals successful his 19 appearances for Spain. Neither Messi aliases Ronaldo made their world debut until they turned 18.

It took Messi, who made his debut astatine 16, until soon earlier his 21st day to deed nan 100-game people successful Barcelona colours, scoring 41 goals successful nan process.

But they were nan first of an unthinkable 672 for nan club, to complement nan 8 Ballon d'Ors, 1 World Cup, 2 Copas America, 4 Champions Leagues and a immense haul of home silverware.

"It is not normal," says erstwhile Barcelona midfielder Mark van Bommel of Yamal's rise. "That's why everyone is talking astir him. [But] to scope nan number of Messi, that's not easy. Even for a feline playing astatine 17."

Messi was nan mini boy who arrived from Argentina aged 13 needing growth-hormone treatment, nan 1 Gerard Pique revealed team-mates astatine La Masia thought was shut up because he "said thing to america for nan first month".

"Messi was ever very cautious successful nan measurement he approached things - rivals, team-mates, managers - ever very respectful," explains Spanish shot master Guillem Balague.

"But he would beryllium nan 1 putting nan intelligence framework to those that came new. If they were from nan little ranks, he would protect them but push them.

"When Neymar arrived, he sewage nan message: You are Brazilian, we cognize you for illustration to definitive yourself a lot, but location are definite things you person to do present to go an important subordinate for Barcelona."

Yamal grew up astir 20 miles on nan seashore from nan Nou Camp betwixt nan metropolis of Granollers, wherever his mother lived, and Mataro, wherever his begetter was. He celebrates by making nan number 304 pinch his fingers, nan past 3 digits of his postcode successful nan Mataro neighbourhood of Rocafonda.

Remarkably, location are pictures of babe Yamal being held by a 20-year-old Messi during a photoshoot for Barcelona and Unicef successful 2007. Seven years later, that babe was training pinch nan club. By nan property of 12, Spanish publication Marca were already comparing him to Messi.

Barcelona moreover collapsed protocol by bringing Yamal to unrecorded astatine La Masia - usually nan rooms spell to players from extracurricular Catalonia and taxis are provided for section youngsters. Just complete 3 years aft moving in, Yamal made his debut against Real Betis.

"Lamine, they put him successful La Masia. Why? Because pinch nan coaches location was personification who could exemplary his way," explains erstwhile La Masia coach Pau Moral, who says Yamal "had not had an easy environment". "Now he is successful nan correct measurement because Barca helped him a lot."

Yamal has since moved retired of nan Barcelona residence, buying an flat not acold from nan training ground.

"Lamine Yamal couldn't person been much different to Lionel Messi," says Balague. "Since he was a kid he liked to joke wrong nan changing rooms, he liked to definitive himself.

"The truth his parents separated a agelong clip agone and his mother has been nan lighthouse successful position of values and behaviour, his begetter is almost much for illustration a friend - that allowed a subordinate for illustration him to person nan state to spell beyond what is expected.

"A bully illustration of that is Cristiano Ronaldo - he had nary references and he thought he could alert and that he could beryllium nan champion successful nan world and nary 1 said to him 'no, you person to spell to assemblage etc'."

Balague describes Yamal arsenic "completely fearless", which came crossed successful Yamal's first news convention earlier past week's 3-3 Champions League semi-final first-leg tie pinch Inter.

"I near each my fears successful nan parkland of my neighbourhood," said Yamal, earlier responding to those who criticised his celebrations pursuing Barca's Copa del Rey triumph against Real Madrid past month. "While I support winning, they can't opportunity much."

"I person ne'er heard thing for illustration that," says Balague. "It is very overmuch for illustration Cristiano Ronaldo behaviour - reasoning 'I americium nan best, truthful it is not a problem'. But he is still a kid successful truthful galore ways."

Balague says erstwhile nan energy went down successful Spain past week, Yamal, Gavi and Fermin Lopez took nan opportunity to stroll astir municipality pinch their hoodies on, earlier they were spotted.

"This is what he will do sometimes, not realising nan impact," says Balague. "He went precocious to Rocafonda and he realises he cannot return location immoderate much because he has go a legend. He has travel retired of nan district. He has conquered nan world."

The precocious Kobe Bryant erstwhile told a communicative astir Ronaldinho introducing him to a subordinate he said would beryllium nan top of each time. "You what? You are nan best," replied nan hoops star. "No," said Ronaldinho. "This kid present is going to beryllium nan best."

Messi was 17, but those astir him already knew they were successful nan beingness of a star.

He joined a squad containing World Cup winners Ronaldinho, Juliano Belletti and Edmilson, stars specified arsenic Samuel Eto'o and Deco, and homegrown gems Carles Puyol, Andres Iniesta, Victor Valdes and Xavi.

The pursuing season, Barcelona won La Liga and nan Champions League - though Messi missed nan last done wounded - their first triumph successful Europe's elite title since 1992.

"We won nan Champions League and La Liga pinch Ronaldinho successful his prime," says Van Bommel. "He was connected specified a level that he could do everything connected his own. We could conscionable take sides and fto him animate nan attack, we knew we would triumph each game."

It is, of course, difficult to comparison players crossed eras. Yamal has emerged astatine a different Barcelona, wherever nan club's financial business has prompted them to move again to their esteemed younker system.

It was aft Ousmane Dembele near for Paris St-Germain and Raphinha was suspended for nan 2nd crippled of past play that Yamal earned his first start. Now he is nan star.

"As a subordinate and a talent, I deliberation we are successful beforehand of nan champion subordinate successful nan world now," says Moral. "Nobody does what he does. It doesn't matter if he is 17 years old. Lamine is simply a subordinate who you consciousness erstwhile he wants, he tin do thing special."

Yamal has scored 5 times successful this season's Champions League, while his 44 shots and 78 dribbles are some nan astir connected Opta's records for a teen successful a campaign.

The earliest specified information disposable connected Messi is from 2006-07, erstwhile he was 19 and made 21 dribbles astatine a complaint of 4.9 per 90 minutes, compared to Yamal's 7.2 this term. However, only 3 times successful 14 consequent seasons astatine Barcelona did Messi driblet beneath Yamal's existent mean successful Europe.

Messi missed a chunk of that 2006-07 play pinch a metatarsal fracture but still clocked up 26 La Liga appearances, scoring 14 goals pinch a changeable conversion complaint of 23% and creating 38 chances, which led to 2 assists.

Yamal, 2 years younger, has played 31 convention games this season, scored six goals, made 12 assists and created 57 chances, though he has had almost doubly arsenic galore shots arsenic Messi did pinch a conversion complaint of 5%.

"What we are seeing from Lamine Yamal is bonzer and nan effect it has had successful world shot is wholly retired of nan mean and unexpected," says Balague.

"Barcelona players look astatine him for solutions. Certainly different players felt - particularly erstwhile they went 2-0 down against Inter - that Lamine Yamal was nan solution."

That is simply a mobility only clip tin answer.

"Certainly, we person to opportunity he is up of Messi arsenic it stands," says Balague. "But to beryllium 15 years correct astatine nan top, influencing each last he played, that is thing that requires a batch of consistency, luck and a beardown mentality for erstwhile things spell wrong.

"At nan moment, everything is going good and this is nan biggest effect Lamine has had - he makes america look guardant to watching Barcelona, look guardant to seeing him. He lifts america from our seats, makes america outcry and shriek erstwhile he does something."

Moral remembers watching Yamal determine younker cup finals, including his ain "remontada" against Real Madrid. Now he is doing it connected nan grandest stage.

"Who expects a feline 16, 17 years aged tin play not conscionable successful first division, but successful Barca... and tin do thing for illustration nan different time successful nan semi-finals of nan Champions League aliases successful nan summertime successful nan Euros?" he says.

"This feline is simply a kid, he is unbelievable. Honestly, I don't cognize wherever his apical is, but we are successful beforehand of 1 of nan top players successful nan future, I americium sure.

"For me, Messi is nan champion successful history. But if everyone progressive pinch Lamine helps - nan environment, friends, family, sometimes you get an wounded - if everything goes well, if he takes bully decisions and useful for illustration he is, I don't want to opportunity amended than Messi but he is connected nan way..."

Van Bommel says Barcelona's 2006 Champions League occurrence "was nan opening of nan Messi era", 1 built astir La Masia talent pinch Messi astatine its fore. Now location is simply a consciousness Yamal could lead nan latest batch of young stars into a caller dynasty.

It's what Moral and others who coached astatine La Masia person been waiting to spot travel to fruition.

"We said it would ne'er hap again. And look, 10 years later, we are successful nan aforesaid situation," he beams, recalling watching Yamal, Gavi, Alejandro Balde and Pau Cubarsi, and says location are much to come.

"When they touch nan ball, you consciousness thing typical arsenic a coach. Lamine, pfft, if 1 subordinate astatine 12 years aged has nan capacity to make you crazy successful training, it's for illustration 'wow!'

"Barcelona is doing very bully things - they put successful La Masia, successful players, successful talented coaches. Now it is normal to spot players of 16, 17, 18 years old, which is unbelievable.

"When Xavi was successful nan apical level, he was 26 aliases 27 years old. These guys are 17 aliases 18 years aged truthful ideate successful 10 years wherever they tin arrive?"

Yamal is nan prima of this crop, a world-beater astatine 17.

Barcelona dream erstwhile nan curtain 1 time comes down connected his Nou Camp career, it will beryllium pinch a bequest to rival Messi's.

Watch highlights of each Champions League crippled from 22:00 connected Wednesday connected BBC iPlayer and nan BBC Sport website and app.

There will besides beryllium a Champions League Match of nan Day connected BBC One connected Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.