‘Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi… Lamine can be the next’ – Why Barcelona wonderkid Yamal is being put in talent bracket with all-time greats by Camp Nou legend Rafa Marquez

At just 16 years of age, La Masia graduate Yamal is already an established part of the first-team fold at Camp Nou and a record-breaking debutant and goalscorer with the Spain national team. The talented youngster would appear to have the world at his feet.

Barca legend Marquez, who is currently in charge of the Catalan giants’ B team, believes Yamal has the potential to follow in the footsteps of some World Cup-winning all-time greats. The Mexican icon has told Mundo Deportivo: “He belongs to that group of gifted boys who have this innate talent and who no matter how old they are to compete in any category and make a difference. Ronaldinho, Messi... Lamine can be the next. He has all the qualities. Obviously we have to take care of the processes because he is still a child.”

Yamal is not the only teenager to have broken into the Barca first team, with Fermin Lopez another to have bypassed the B side en route to forming part of Xavi’s plans. Marquez added: “It has been surprising. I didn’t have him last year but he had to leave to realise that he had a great opportunity to be in the club. We are all happy with this evolution and that Xavi likes it so much.”

Yamal has taken in 11 appearances for Barca this season across all competitions, with his first senior goal at club level being recorded in a meeting with Getafe – allowing him to become both the youngest scorer in the history of Barcelona and La Liga.