Alex Baena compares Lamine Yamal to Lionel Messi

Villarreal midfielder Alex Baena has spoken highly of Barcelona's young star Lamine Yamal, expressing his admiration for the player's performance. According to Goal.com, the Spanish footballer admitted that the 17-year-old winger's movements on the pitch remind him of the emotions he felt when watching Lionel Messi. Baena emphasized that he now watches Catalan matches specifically to see Lamine Yamal in action. This is reported by Goal.com reports .

Currently, the growth rate of the La Masia graduate is capturing the attention of the entire football world. Alex Baena had the opportunity to closely observe the young talent's training sessions during national team camps. According to him, Lamine is capable of unique moves that no one else in professional football can perform, which sets him apart from his competitors.

The similarity between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi

In an interview with DAZN Football, Alex Baena openly stated that he considers Lamine Yamal the best player in the world today. The experienced midfielder noted that he used to sit in front of the TV solely to watch Lionel Messi, and now the same happens because of Lamine. He admitted that if the young winger is not on the pitch, it is difficult for him to follow the Catalan club's matches.

While debates surrounding individual awards, particularly the Ballon d'Or, continue in the football world, Baena also announced his personal top three favorites. In his opinion, the three best players in the world right now are Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Lionel Messi. He shared his thoughts on each candidate.

Debates on Ballon d'Or criteria

Rodri's successes on the international stage and Lionel Messi's continued high-level performance at 39 are highly regarded by experts. Notably, young Lamine Yamal himself expressed dissatisfaction in recent interviews regarding how the criteria for awarding individual prizes in modern football have changed. He believes the award should be given for pure talent and individual skill, rather than team achievements.

According to Yamal, while the best were rightfully rewarded during the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, today, giving preference to a representative of a team just for winning the Champions League undermines the essence of the award. Nevertheless, the recognition from professional players like Alex Baena once again confirms how bright the young winger's future is.