La Maladrerie Overview

Former Real Madrid and Spain defender Michel Salgado has claimed that Lamine Yamal possesses a rare technical quality that draws legitimate parallels with Lionel Messi. Despite the teenager still being in the infancy of his career, Salgado believes the Barcelona starlet has shown the same fearlessness that once defined the Argentine icon.

Former Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has singled out Lamine Yamal as the one player he is most desperate to watch during the 2026 World Cup. The legendary Swede believes the Blaugrana youngster possesses a rare quality that makes him worth the price of admission regardless of the cost.

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has confirmed that Lamine Yamal is available for La Roja’s opening match of the 2026 World Cup despite not being fully fit. The Barcelona star has recently recovered from a hamstring problem, but Spain are prepared to use him if needed as they begin their campaign against Cape Verde.

The 2026 World Cup is finally underway as all 48 teams begin to fight it out for the universally coveted trophy. While the collective prize is the main objective for all competitors, some will be hoping to make their claim as the best player of the entire tournament. But who are the top contenders and who is leading the race for the prestigious Golden Ball?