Is Lamine Yamal the Best 17-Year-Old Ever? Lamine Yamal vs Kylian Mbappe’s Stats Comparison
Following Lamine Yamal’s stunning performance in Barcelona’s 3-3 draw against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League semifinal last week, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand made a bold statement. He believes the Barcelona starlet is destined for football’s highest individual honour.
“Lamine Yamal was decisive in Milan. If he delivers in the final, he deserves the Ballon d’Or,” Ferdinand said.
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry went even further, suggesting Yamal isn’t just ahead of his peers—he belongs in the same conversation as the game’s all-time greats.
“Something that’s always amazing in football is that you think nobody will ever surpass Ronaldo or Messi,” Henry said. “In my time, it was Pelé, Maradona, Zidane… And then Yamal comes along.”
But is it fair to draw such grand conclusions from one campaign? Or is Henry right – has Lamine Yamal already surpassed every other 17-year-old the game has seen?
Comparing Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe at 17
Kylian Mbappe’s breakout came during the 2016–17 season when he led Monaco to a Champions League semifinal, scoring 11 goals in Europe and 26 in Ligue 1. At 17, Arsene Wenger famously called him “the next Thierry Henry.”
While some reports claim Mbappe had 28 goals and 16 assists in 46 matches at 17, those figures are likely inflated. In reality, Mbappe had closer to 7 goals and six assists before turning 18. His explosive form came just after that milestone.
Yamal, by contrast, already boasts 18 goals and 29 assists across 112 matches (89 for Barcelona and 17 for Spain) before turning 18. At 17 years and 291 days, he became the youngest player to score in a Champions League semifinal, beating Mbappe’s record set at 18 years and 140 days.
International Success: A Different Timeline
Mbappe famously starred at the 2018 World Cup, winning it at just 19. Jurgen Klinsmann at the time said Mbappe looked like he’d “been in France’s team for 10 years.”
Yamal, however, has also achieved remarkable international milestones. At 17 years and 1 day, he became the youngest player to appear in and win a major international final (Euro 2024). He was also named to the Team of the Tournament, won Young Player of the Tournament, and took home Goal of the Tournament honours.
Also Read: What Arsenal Must Do Differently to Overcome PSG in Champions League Second Leg
What Sets Them Apart?
The one major title that still eludes Mbappe is the UEFA Champions League. At 26, he continues to chase it. Yamal, still just 17, has the chance to achieve it much earlier, potentially this season with Barcelona. If he does, that could be the defining separator when comparing their teenage legacies.
While comparisons between generations can be tricky, what’s clear is this: both players have dazzled the world as teenagers. And if Yamal continues on this path, the football world may have to make room for a new generational icon.
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