Former Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard has claimed that Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal is further along in his development at 19 years old than legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were at the same age.
Gerrard, who played against both Messi and Ronaldo early in their careers, praised the Spanish teenager following a series of stellar performances for club and country.
“Lamine Yamal is more advanced at 19 than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were at the age of 19,” Gerrard stated. “If you look at all three players at the age of 19, Lamine Yamal is the most advanced player.”
The 19-year-old sensation has consistently featured at the highest level, narrowly missing out on top individual honors in recent years. In 2025, Yamal finished runner-up in Ballon d’Or voting behind Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé, followed by another top finish this year behind Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane.