Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal has surprisingly snubbed Lionel Messi when naming his football ‘idol’ opting for another superstar.
Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest football player in history with lots of young football players looking to emulate him. Yamal has also been tipped to walk in the footsteps of the former Barcelona forward.
With Cristiano Ronaldo the only player who can stand side by side with Messi, it has become popular among players to choose between both parties.
Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are arguably the greatest players in football (Photo by Aurelien Meunier – PSG/PSG via Getty Images)
Barcelona players are known to choose Messi due to their ties but Yamal opted for another Barca star, Neymar.
La Masia graduate Yamal prefers Neymar instead of the 37-year-old Inter Miami man.
Speaking in an interview with CNN, Yamal reminisced about first seeing Neymar when he was just five years old. Two years later, he got to watch him in the flesh dazzle for Barcelona. Despite calling Messi “incredible”, he explained why Neymar was his idol, saying:
“I was five years old when I saw him at Santos, but seven years old when I saw him in person at FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
“It was incredible to see him. Yes, it’s true that (Lionel) Messi was there who was also incredible, but he was something totally different.
“Neymar has always been my idol. He’s a star, a football legend.”
Yamal will be eager to achieve huge success at Barcelona just like Neymar who won various trophies before leaving for PSG.
The 17-year-old is already earning Ballon d’Or shouts – having helped fire Spain to success at Euro 2024 and then carried on his brilliant form in the next season.
