Lautaro Martinez said he was impressed by Lamine Yamal, but insisted that there is no comparison between Barcelona's teenage sensation and Lionel Messi.
Yamal was put in the spotlight in 2023-24 and led Spain to the title of the European Championship and this season continued that form for the Hansi Flick team.
The 17-year-old has 34 target contributions (14 goals, 20 assists) in all competitions this campaign, so that his team keeps their high hope alive.
Yamal only made one outing in Barca's 2022-23 LABERA success, but has been a more prominent figure for the Blaugrana to win his second and third big title with the club this season.
In their supercopa he scored the Espana final victory over Real Madrid, while he also played the duration of their dramatic Copa del Rey wins on their Clasico rivals last Saturday.
His meteoric turnout has made comparisons with eight times Ballon d'Or winner Messi, who made 778 performances for Barca in all matches before he left the club in 2021.
The Argentinian won 10 Laliga titles together with four Champions League crowns with Barca, with 672 goals and offering 303 assists for 17 glorious years.
“For me, Leo [Messi] Is incomparable, because Leo is and will be the best player of all time, “said MartÃnez of the Inter Miami captain.
“I'm not going to make that comparison. I can only say that Lamine is an important player. We have all seen him, we all know him.”
At the age of 16, Yamal became the youngest score in the history of Laliga and the youngest player ever to appear at a European championship with Spain.
He won the young player of the tournament at Euro 2024 and also received the Golden Boy and Kopa Trophy last year.
“At his young age he is doing great and won important titles with his national team,” said MartÃnez about Yamal.
“He deserves respect, he has a great future for him.”
Yamal himself has played comparisons with Messi and say: “I don't compare myself with him.
“I don't want to compare myself to anyone, and even less with Messi. That's something that I leave to you.
“In the end I only try to be better than yesterday. I admire Messi a lot, so I don't want to compare myself with the best player in the history of football.
“I still haven't spoken to him personally.”