If there is a footballer who continues to captivate both fans and strangers with his carefree style of play, that is Lamine Yamal. The right winger, at just 17 years old, has become one of the main offensive references for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team. He is a decisive and distinctive player, who undoubtedly, when he has the ball at his feet, gives the impression that something special is about to happen, and it usually does. Despite his young age, the Rocafonda native rarely disappoints the fans.
Precisely this exceptional player's character has earned him, among other things, being compared not only with an absolute legend of Barcelona, Leo Messi, due to the parallels drawn between the beginning of Lamine Yamal's career and that of the Rosario star currently playing for Inter Miami. Not only that, some go even further and elevate the comparison to a higher level, equating him with another icon of international football.
In this regard, Lamine Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, used his social media (@hustle_hard_304) to, after his son's brilliant performance with FC Barcelona in the match against Villarreal CF (1-5), post a message comparing his son's actions to those of Diego Armando Maradona. "Great son, you make me remember the great myth Diego Armando Maradona," mentioned the '19's father on his social platforms.
Is Lamine Yamal ready to be compared to a footballer like Diego Armando Maradona?
The post, which at the time of writing this article has 68,892 likes and 556 comments, has generated various reactions, dividing into two camps: those who support Lamine's father's comment, approving the comparison by considering Yamal as one of the best and most exciting players in the world today, with the same magic that 'El Pelusa' generated in his time; and others who disapprove of the comment, arguing that these kinds of comparisons do not benefit the young man and that, although he is on the path to greatness, he still has much to prove.
Ultimately, it is clear that Lamine Yamal is unfazed by comparisons to the world's greats, as he expressed in his most recent interview with 'L'Équipe', although he is clear that he wants to leave his own legacy and avoid these types of comparisons. "It is true that if you are compared to the best player in history, you are doing things right. It doesn't bother me, obviously, but I always try to be myself," he concluded.