Marcus Rashford says Lamine Yamal is the closest player to Lionel Messi: ‘It won’t surprise me if he wins seven Ballon d’Ors’
· Yahoo Sports
Marcus Rashford has delivered extraordinary praise for Lamine Yamal, describing the Barcelona teenager as the most talented player he has encountered and suggesting he could eventually win seven Ballon d’Or awards.
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The current Manchester United forward, who had a productive loan spell with Barcelona last season, made the comments during a meeting with supporters at Old Trafford.
Notably, Barcelona had an option to permanently buy Rashford, but the Catalan club decided to sign Anthony Gordon instead.
Rashford believes Lamine Yamal can match Messi
The former Barcelona forward did not hold back when discussing his former teammate, explaining that he had already recognised Yamal’s extraordinary ability before leaving the Catalan club.
“Before I left Barça, I told Lamine Yamal that I’d played with some very talented players, but that he’s head and shoulders above them all.”
He continued by highlighting the teenager’s exceptional qualities, saying,
Rashford has reflected on the talent of Lamine Yamal. (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)
“I’ve never seen a player of that age with as much talent as him; he’s the closest anyone has come to Messi’s level over the years.”
The English forward also backed Yamal’s chances of achieving remarkable individual success, adding,
“I really believe in his talent; if he goes on to win seven Ballon d’Ors, it won’t surprise me. He’s finished second, third and eighth. And at what age? Nineteen?”
Rashford insists Messi is in a league of his own
Despite comparing Yamal’s potential with Messi’s level, Rashford made it clear that he considers the Argentine’s overall footballing ability virtually impossible to replicate.
“He’s an incredible player. We’ll probably never see another player in our lifetime who is as complete a genius as Leo.”
Rashford has nothing but praise for Messi. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Rashford also discussed the latest Ballon d’Or outcome, where Yamal was one of the favourites, backing Harry Kane as a deserving winner because of his contribution in front of goal and creativity.
“He scored an absurd number of goals this year and provided an absurd number of assists. I sent him a text the other day and told him he deserved it.”
Rashford explains his Barcelona move
The conversation also touched on Rashford’s career decisions and his eventual return to Manchester United following his loan spell at Barcelona.
Reflecting on his subsequent experience at Aston Villa, the club where he played before moving to Barcelona, he explained why he did not want to join another English club if a return to Old Trafford was not possible.
“I realised one thing… I couldn’t keep playing against United every season. If United isn’t an option, I told my agent to take me abroad – don’t take me to another Premier League club,” he concluded.
Source: Mundo Deportivo