Spanish forward Lamine Yamal has praised Lionel Messi, calling the Argentine legend the best player in football history and dismissing any debate over his legacy. Speaking to RTVE, as quoted by FotMob, the 18-year-old Barcelona forward said Messi continues to prove his greatness in every match. However, Yamal revealed that Brazilian great Neymar is his idol.
"Every match proves he's the best in history. If anyone has doubts, it's because they're looking for them," Yamal said. "There's nothing more to say. My idol is Neymar, but Messi is the best."
Messi guided defending champions Argentina to a strong start in their World Cup title defense with a commanding performance in their 3-0 win at Kansas City Stadium on Wednesday. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's hat-trick lifted his World Cup goal tally to 16, drawing level with Miroslav Klose as the joint-highest scorer in the tournament's history.
At 38 years and 357 days, Messi also became the oldest player to score more than once in a World Cup match, surpassing Roger Milla's long-standing record of 38 years and 34 days. The Argentina captain has now scored in five different World Cups, becoming only the second player to achieve the feat after Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite such milestones, Yamal insisted there is no debate over who stands as the greatest footballer of all time.
Yamal also said he is feeling fit and ready to contribute for his team, while stressing that he is still being carefully eased back into full match rhythm after recovering from a recent injury. The Barcelona star continues to manage a return from a hamstring injury, though he remains available for limited minutes in Sunday's game against Saudi Arabia in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament.
Yamal played 25 minutes in Spain's shocking 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their opening match, his first appearance in nearly two months. "I'm fine, I'm feeling good, but it's too soon, it's unnecessary; I'm still settling in," Yamal said. "It's not the right time to play a full match yet - but I can play for as many minutes as the manager wants. I want to be on the pitch; at the end of the day, even if you know you can't play for 90 minutes, you always want to get out there and help the team."
