Will Lamine Yamal Break Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Dominance in European Football?
Since making his debut for Barcelona in 2023 at the age of 15, Lamine Yamal has witnessed swift growth from being described as a teenage sensation to potentially being crowned the Ballon d’Or Award for the 2024-25 season. Except for Rodri, Luka Modric, and Karim Benzema, the Ballon d’Or award ceremony has been dominated by the duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi since 2008, with both players winning it a combined 13 times as a testament to their dominance over the last 2 decades.
Despite their departures from the continent, European football still sees them as the top-notch players and a benchmark to compare the upcoming stars. Heading into the twilight of their career, the world has held its breath in anticipation for the next generation of players to take over the mantle from Messi and Ronaldo while delivering breathtaking performances as proof of their superiority.
Erling Haaland who has scored 52, 38 and 31 goals in the last 3 seasons, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe are names that immediately ignite excitement among fans in the last 24 months as any could have wrapped up the Ballon d’Or and with it the crown of ‘World Best Player’ but none finding the consistency enough with Club and Country to stake a claim as undisputed.
Lamine Yamal Looking to Overtake Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s Career?
Lamine Yamal has appeared from the shadows in the past 24 months to stake a claim for the number one prize, and at the tender age of 17, the prospects of the Barca starlet are scary once imagined. From guiding Spain to European glory in 2024 by winning the goal and Young Player award at the Euro 2024, while also winning the Kopa Trophy for best young player in the world.
Barcelona finished the 2024-25 season winning the treble, and Lamine Yamal was the face of the triumph, constantly dazzling and producing game-changing performances in key matches en route to La Liga, Copa Del Rey and Super Cup.
His 18 goals and 25 assists at the club level this season confirmed his indispensable status at a club that struggles whenever he is not available, as witnessed in Barca’s early-season slump while injured.
His consistent contributions to Spain have also not gone unnoticed and his five-star performance as Spain beat France 5-4 in the Uefa Nations League Semi-final will further buttress the point that the La Masia talent deserves the number one accolade of ‘Best Player’ ahead of Ousmane Dembele, and Desire Doue who most highlighted as PSG won the Uefa Champions League a few days ago.
Lamine Yamal’s Goal for Club And Country
| Year | Club | Country |
| 2024-25 | 18 | 4 |
| 2023-24 | 7 | 2 |
Lamine Yamal: Assist for Club And Country
| Year | Club | Country |
| 2024-25 | 16 | 5 |
| 2023-24 | 7 | ‐—– |
The starlet is already breaking records for his club and country and has risen to the superstar level. With his performances reaching new highs, the star is looking to surpass megastars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
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