Emmanuel Petit says Lamine Yamal is already ahead of Lionel Messi in his development and has labelled him "the most valuable player on the planet".
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Yamal often compared to Barca great MessiPetit thinks he's developing even quickerHailed him as one of the best in the worldFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Yamal’s rise at Barcelona has mirrored that of Messi, but his acceleration has surprised even seasoned observers. Not only is he a double La Liga champion, but he also already boasts a European Championship title with Spain, accolades that place him among elite company even before turning 18.
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Statistically, Yamal’s early output dwarfs what Messi managed during his own formative years at the club. By the time Messi wrapped up his first season as a 17-year-old, he had just one goal and no assists in La Liga. Yamal, in contrast, has already accumulated 14 goals and 22 assists in Spain’s top flight before celebrating his 18th birthday.
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In the Champions League, Yamal has contributed an additional five goals and six assists, becoming a decisive figure on the European stage. For comparison, Messi didn’t reach five Champions League goals until the age of 20, and he hadn’t logged five assists in the competition until he was 21. However, by that time, he was a Champions League winner and Ballon d'Or recipient.
WHAT PETIT SAID
In making comparisons to Messi, former Arsenal and France star Petit was unequivocal in his assessment. In an interview with theWorld Cup winner said: "Yamal is the most valuable player on the planet. He is the reason why you spend money to watch games in person but also on TV, every time he touches the ball something happens. He has vision, technique, and so much creative ability and he’s only 17. There are few words to describe him, he is ahead of Lionel Messi when he was at the same age."
Petit believes Yamal is already delivering the kind of performances expected from players at the pinnacle of the sport.
"He is always making a difference in the big games, 99% of the time, he is delivering what you expect from the biggest players in the game, and he is only 17," he said. "I hope he can go on to have a career like Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, he has such maturity at 17 and he has his own way of doing things in the press and on social media."
