Lamine Yamal’s rise to soccer’s elite at just 17 years old has captivated the world. Now, with a UEFA Champions League title within reach, FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has shared what the young star must do to reach the heights of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Yamal impressed once again in the Champions League semifinal against Inter Milan, where he was one of the most dangerous players on the pitch and even found the back of the net. The performance earned praise from soccer legends like Rio Ferdinand, Thierry Henry, and even current stars like Erling Haaland.
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi joined the chorus, calling Yamal “a player that comes around every 50 years.” But amid the growing hype, Flick was asked how he keeps the teenager grounded. His answer was direct. “I think he knows what I expect from him,” Flick said during Friday’s press conference. “When you’re able to play at this level, you have to show it again and again. It’s not just about one game. That’s what I want from him.”
The coach then revealed what Yamal has to do to get to the level of soccer legends: “Every player has the potential for getting better and better, this is not only about telling him the genius he is, but also hard work. If you want to reach this level like Ronaldo, like Messi and the big players in the past, we all have to stay calm and see what happens.
“We’re really happy that he’s playing with us, on this level with only 17 years, it’s unbelievable. But we know that he also has to work hard to be consistent and be able to get better and better. He also wants it, so it’s not the end I think,” the coach added.
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Raphinha breaks record surpassing Lionel Messi at Barcelona in the Champions League
Excitement and comparisons surrounding Yamal are well deserved—he’s the only player in history to feature in both a Champions League semifinal and a European Championship final at just 17 years old, placing him in a truly one-of-a-kind category. However, as Hansi Flick emphasized, the key to reaching the level of Messi and Ronaldo lies in maintaining consistent, elite-level performances over time.
Yamal vs. Messi: A historic milestone
Yamal made his 100th appearance for FC Barcelona against Inter Milan, becoming the youngest player in club history to reach that mark—surpassing Messi, who held the previous record.
In those 100 games, Yamal has registered 22 goals and 33 assists. In comparison, Messi had 41 goals and 14 assists in his first 100 appearances. While the goal tally leans Messi’s way, both players contributed directly to 55 goals. Yamal, however, achieved the milestone nearly three years earlier—Messi reached 100 games at 20 years and 248 days; Yamal did it at just 17 and 291 days.
