Salgado likens Lamine Yamal's 'one-on-three' quality to Lionel Messi

Former Spain defender Michel Salgado says Lamine Yamal possesses a rare technical quality that invites comparison with Lionel Messi. He highlighted the teenager’s fearlessness in one-on-one situations — and even one-on-two or one-on-three scenarios — noting that was a defining trait of the Argentine, while adding that Messi remains “a player from another galaxy.” Salgado pointed to the players’ shared La Masia education, saying Messi arrived at 12 and Yamal even earlier, which helped the youngster handle elite pressure at a very young age.

He noted Yamal’s trophy haul so far, including three La Liga titles and Euro 2024, and mentioned the winger finished runner-up for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, though the Champions League is still missing from his CV. The former full-back recalled the moment the Real Madrid dressing room realised Messi was a generational talent — the first Clasico in which the Argentine scored a hat-trick — and placed him among the greats like Maradona and Pele.

Salgado also expressed concern about Yamal’s workload.

Spain

lamine yamal, michel salgado, lionel messi, la masia, one-on-three, one-on-one, la liga, euro 2024, ballon d'or, champions league