Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal ‘most talented in world’ – Fàbregas

Former Spain central midfielder Fabregas has tipped Lamine Yamal as the most talented player in the world. Yamal, 17, has impressed one and all with his skills at the top level. The youngster has scored four goals and has further assisted five more in the nine matches of the La Liga for Barcelona.

Meanwhile, Yamal registered a goal and four assists in seven matches of Euro 2024 and played a key role in taking Spain to glory.

Fàbregas said on ESPN when asked about who he thinks is the most talented player in the world: “I would probably say Lamine Yamal… for the impact that he’s having. When you have this type of talent, this type of quality, for me to see the freedom and how he expresses himself on the pitch, it’s fantastic to see because of the creativity.”

At only 16 years of age, Yamal became the youngest goal scorer in La Liga history and the youngest player ever to feature at a European Championship. He also won the Young Player of the Tournament at the 2024 Euros.

“I think he’s a unique talent,” Fàbregas said. “He’s someone that you just need to let him go out and play football. He will always make a difference when he’s pressed. When he’s not pressed, he always finds the right solution, even if it’s an individual action or a one, two, or the last ball, or give continuity to the play, whatever the game demands in that moment.

“He’s capable of reading [a game] and he’s capable of understanding what it needs.

“I think this is already a sign of a big player, of a very mature player. And what I like the most is that it feels like he’s playing in the street. It feels like everything becomes so easy for him. He’s free in the mind.”

Meanwhile, Yamal has been compared with Lionel Messi as he has a similar style of play but Fabregas wants the youngster to make his own story.

“I can understand it [comparisons with Messi],” he said.

“I don’t like it because I think every player is different and we all have our own story. And now Lamine needs to follow his own road and create his own pathway. But definitely there are signs that always make you go back to what Leo [Messi] used to be. I think it’s completely normal, especially also the Barcelona fans coming from a difficult period of years where there’s been some difficulties.

“So I think the excitement that Lamine brings to the table nowadays, it’s very important. It’s like Leo, you know, in difficult times he stepped up for the team.

“And I think with Lamine, the potential is there to do very, very well for many years at Barcelona.”