Messi Comparisons Don't Help Yamal, Claims De la Fuente
June 22, 2026 · Global
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente warned against comparing Lamine Yamal with Lionel Messi, emphasizing the importance for the young Spaniard to develop his own potential.
The coach of the Spanish national team, Luis de la Fuente, warned against making comparisons between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi. He emphasized that this young player needs to take his own path. Yamal, who only appeared as a substitute in Spain's World Cup opener against Cape Verde which ended in a 0-0 draw, recorded interesting statistics. Even though he only came on in the 71st minute, Yamal managed five dribbles, the most in the match.
Spain are expected to achieve their first win when they face Saudi Arabia on Sunday, with Yamal expected to make a bigger contribution. Yamal is currently the youngest debutant and youngest goalscorer for Spain. In 26 appearances for the national team, he scored six goals and provided 11 assists. At club level, Yamal has appeared in 151 matches for Barcelona, scoring 49 goals and 45 assists.
Although Yamal is often compared to Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, De la Fuente believes the comparison is unnecessary. "It would be wrong to compare [Yamal] to anyone else," De la Fuente told reporters. "He is still 18 years old, in the process of development and maturation... We have to let him follow his own path.
"We have analyzed the match against Cape Verde from an improvement point of view. We will keep the idea and see if we need to change the formation."
"Lamine Yamal is in good condition, that is one of the best news," added De la Fuente. "Players like this, who have something different, are ready for it. They are geniuses, like Salvador Dali or Michelangelo. What seems extraordinary to us, is not extraordinary to them."
Asked whether Yamal would start against Saudi Arabia, De la Fuente added: "We will evaluate that. The best news is that he is here. Lamine is in a good moment. Whether he plays 55, 58 or 63 minutes depends on the course of the game. We will think about his contribution to the team and what is best for him.