More Diego Maradona than Lionel Messi? Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal earns another GOAT comparison from proud father

Obvious comparisons with fellow La Masia academy graduate Messi have been drawn since teenage superstar Yamal burst onto the senior footballing scene. He made his debut for Barca at the age of 15 and is now a European Championship winner at 17.

Records continue to tumble around the exciting youngster, as he stars for Barcelona and Spain, with the promise of more to come as he is billed as a Ballon d’Or winner of the future. If that path is to be trodden, then he will follow in the illustrious footsteps of legends.

Yamal already appears to be heading in that direction, with another eye-catching performance put in against Villarreal that saw him win a penalty and provide an assist. He was also subjected to some rough treatment from rivals that were struggling to contain him – much like Messi and Maradona once were.

Yamal’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, has now likened his son to a World Cup-winning Argentina captain that once graced the books at Camp Nou. He posted on Instagram after witnessing another impressive display in La Liga: “Great son, you remind me of the great Diego Armando Maradona.”

Barcelona have high hopes for Yamal, having tied him to a long-term contract and fended off record-breaking transfer bids from Paris Saint-Germain, with the plan being for him to spend many years emulating Messi and Maradona in Catalunya.