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Lamine Yamal surpassed long-standing Lionel Messi record the mark when Catalans beat Alaves
Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal has further fueled comparisons to club legend Lionel Messi after another remarkable performance during Barcelona’s 1-0 victory over Alavés on Sunday.
The win brought Barcelona closer to La Liga leaders Real Madrid, reducing the gap to just four points following Madrid’s unexpected defeat to Espanyol. Robert Lewandowski scored the match’s only goal in the 60th minute, but it was Yamal who continued to make waves with his performance.
Though he didn’t add to his impressive tally of 15 assists this season, Yamal made history by surpassing a long-standing record set by Messi. In 2007, a 19-year-old Messi completed 10 out of 20 dribbles in a La Liga match against Mallorca, a record that stood until now. Yamal, in contrast, attempted 21 dribbles against Alavés, completing 11—setting a new benchmark for Barcelona in the league.
What makes Yamal’s achievement even more remarkable is his age. He won’t turn 18 until July but is already having a far more significant impact at this stage of his career compared to Messi, who was 17 years and four months old when he debuted for Barcelona in 2004. By the time Messi turned 18, he had only one goal and no assists in nine appearances. In contrast, Yamal has made 79 senior appearances, contributing 39 goals and assists, with nearly four months still left in the current season.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick was full of praise for the young talent after the Alavés game, saying, “Lamine is a genius. What he did in some situations is unbelievable. I’m very happy he’s playing for Barca—it’s great. For a 17-year-old, he’s doing great, and every match is good. The opponents are tough, defending well and being aggressive, but he’s handling it all. I love it.”