Lamine Yamal has been backed to break Lionel Messi’s record of the most Ballon d’Or titles, as he is poised to inherit the iconic number 10 jersey at FC Barcelona.
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The Spanish teenage sensation is already regarded as one of the best players in the world, just two seasons after becoming a regular for the Blaugrana. The La Masia graduate recently signed a contract extension until 2031 and is now set to follow in Messi’s footsteps by taking on the revered number 10 shirt.
Having already shattered several records for both club and country, Yamal has caught the attention of football legends — including former Barcelona midfielder and French icon Emmanuel Petit, who believes the youngster could one day surpass the 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning captain in Ballon d’Or wins.
“With Ansu Fati going on loan to Monaco, they are a team to watch, but I assume that Lamine Yamal wants to be like Lionel Messi, which is partly why he wants the 10 shirt. He plays on the right wing and there are some similarities. The 10 is a special number for Barcelona, and he will also be keen to fight for the Ballon d’Or,” Petit told reporters.
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“I think the Ballon d’Or is his main reason for wanting the number 10. He is 17 and he is already thinking about it — he is a tremendous footballer. I can’t name a player that has been as impressive as him at his age. Every time he touches the ball, something happens. You’d think he was 28 and in his prime.
“He dribbles past players like it’s the PlayStation and he makes defenders look like cones. He has such a high ceiling — he could become even better than Messi. Messi won eight Ballons d’Or, Yamal will have motivation to go even further. He’s a joy to watch.”
