Lamine Yamal, Messi have key advantage over Cristiano Ronaldo, Mbappe, claims former Argentina coach

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the world of soccer for nearly two decades, marking a turning point in the history of the sport. Now, as their careers near the end, they are making room for a new generation of stars, led by Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal, among others. A former coach of the Argentina National Team has made a comparison between them.

Ahead of the September international break, Argentina icon and current Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa spoke at length about Yamal. “If you have a player like the winger from Barcelona, who you give the ball to, and he doesn’t care if there are two or ten players in front of him, he’ll dribble past them anyway… That kind of player solves the attacking game, no matter the analysis,” the coach began.

“He breaks the analysis and improves his team because he eliminates opponents on his own, without help from anyone,” Bielsa added, before comparing Lamine Yamal to the legendary No. 10 from Barcelona. “He doesn’t even need powerful passes because he receives lateral balls and dribbles past everyone. Just like Messi and other players who change the game.”

Next, the coach who led the Argentina National Team between 1999 and 2004 highlighted one reason why Yamal and Messi are different from others. “Mbappe or Cristiano Ronaldo need attacking midfielders, but both Messi and the Barcelona winger don’t need attacking midfielders; they just need lateral passes with the opponent in front of them. So, if you have that resource, everything related to structure doesn’t matter,” explained Bielsa.

Bielsa comments on Yamal’s behavior

Despite his incredible talent and impressive performances with Barcelona, Lamine Yamal has faced criticism in the media for his off-field lifestyle. Some have pointed to his fondness for partying and claim it could become a significant problem in the future, even affecting his sporting performance.

Bielsa was asked about this and gave a clear response. “I saw Luis de la Fuente’s response (coach of Spain) to a journalist’s question about Lamine Yamal. A journalist was talking about the player’s partying in Mallorca, in all those beaches in the Balearic Islands,” Marcelo said.

“De la Fuente is smart and explains that this doesn’t matter because Yamal trains six hours a day, spends two hours in the gym, eats well, has a physiotherapist, a kinesiologist, and is required to sleep a certain number of hours,” continued the Argentina coach. “Sure, he has a girlfriend and goes out at night, but what do the journalists highlight? These holiday outings that are broadcast attractively or this methodical rigor?”

Yamal vs Mbappe, the new rivalry?

Just as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had an intense rivalry for nearly a decade at Barcelona and Real Madrid, it now seems those roles have found new protagonists. The 2024-25 season marked Kylian Mbappe’s first year in La Liga, coinciding with the definitive rise of Lamine Yamal as a soccer star.

Now, both players have claimed the No. 10 jersey for their respective teams, and all signs point to the fact that from this year forward, all eyes in each El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona will be on them. For now, Yamal might have an edge over Mbappe: the young Spanish winger is one of the favorites to win the Ballon d’Or 2025, something that Kylian has yet to achieve.