“The Closest Thing to Messi”: David Beckham Hails Barcelona Wonderkid Lamine Yamal

Football legend David Beckham has joined the growing list of admirers singing the praises of Lamine Yamal, claiming the 17-year-old Barcelona starlet could one day reach the dizzying heights of Lionel Messi.

Speaking on Beckham and Friends, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United icon said:

“You see the way he plays, and at 17 years old, to be doing the things that he’s doing on a pitch — only every 20, 30 years does a player like that come along... He’s the first player that you look at and you can… I mean, you can’t compare anyone to Messi, in my opinion. But he’s the closest thing that I have seen.”

🔥 Lamine Yamal’s Blistering Rise

With 15 goals and 24 assists in 51 appearances this season, Yamal has transformed from a promising academy product into Barcelona’s attacking heartbeat. A European Championship winner already, and with domestic trophies in the bag, the teenager is living the dream many only fantasize about.

He isn’t just promising — he’s producing, week in and week out.

✍️ Opinion: Can We Really Compare Anyone to Messi?

Beckham’s praise might stir debate — and it should. Lionel Messi is not just a footballer, he's a once-in-a-century phenomenon. His consistency, vision, and legacy stretch far beyond stats.

That said, Yamal is showing flashes of a similar aura: vision beyond his years, fearless flair, and that rare ability to bend a match to his will. The Messi comparison may seem premature, but it’s rooted in genuine brilliance we are witnessing now.

But here's the key: Lamine Yamal doesn’t need to be “the next Messi.”
He just needs to be the best version of himself — and that, on its own, may already place him in football’s elite conversation in the years to come.

💬 What do you think?
Is Beckham right to place Yamal in Messi’s shadow — or is it too early to crown him football’s next great?