Not since Messi have Barca fans been able to enjoy watching such a mercurial yet effective player as Yamal represent their beloved club. And the teen’s statistics at this tender age already project a greater career even than that of Messi - for many, the greatest player in the history of the sport.

A deep-dive into Lamine Yamal's extraordinary rise, resilience through personal turmoil, and status as one of football’s brightest young stars.

I admire Messi a lot, so I don’t want to compare myself with the best player in football's history,” Yamal added on Tuesday.