Is Lamine Yamal already the best footballer in Europe? And if not, who is?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6326382/2025/05/02/lamine-yamal-best-footballer-who-is/

https://archive.ph/Srf1a



“Lamine is the kind of talent that comes along every 50 years,” said Simone Inzaghi after watching the 17-year-old Yamal shine against his Inter team during a breathless 3-3 Champions League semi-final first leg draw in Barcelona.

“One thing that amazes me in football is you always think that there is nobody better than Ronaldo and Messi, (Ruud) Gullit, (Diego) Maradona, a lot of people, and then Lamine Yamal arrives,” said Thierry Henry, the former Arsenal and Barcelona forward working for U.S. broadcaster CBS.

In the afterglow of a wonderful performance, in which he scored one beautiful goal, glided across the pitch, turned defenders inside out and showed off his range of tricks, there was no shortage of praise for Yamal.


Yamal bends in a beautiful Champions League goal against Inter (Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The draw with Inter was his 100th appearance and brought his 22nd goal (along with 33 assists). At the same age, Cristiano Ronaldo had made 19 appearances (featuring five goals and four assists) and Lionel Messi had made nine, scoring once.

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