Barcelona president Laporta: Yamal on track to match Messi as best in the world

Barcelona president Laporta: Yamal on track to match Messi as best in the world

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has declared Lamine Yamal is on track to match the feats of Lionel Messi.

Laporta has declared the 18 year-old a "genius" and had no problem comparing the teen with Barca great Messi, now of Inter Miami.

The president told CNN: "Messi has been the best player in the world, and I think 0Lamine 0is, right now, in a position to become the best in the world. We'll see, we'll see.

"He's the kind of player who doesn't have many like him because he's a genius and he's at the highest level.

"Lamine has a lot of personality. 0Messi, in his time, also had a lot of personality. Of course, Messi won everything. Messi did everything. For me, he's probably the best player in history."

And Laporta added, "Lamine is Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi was Lionel Messi.

"The world continues and new geniuses appear and those who are emerging today are players like Lamine Yamal, like Pedri, like Raphinha ... very talented players who are in the world of football.

"I mention Barcelona players but, of course, there are footballers from other teams who are fantastic too."