Laporte: 'Everyone is afraid' of Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal

Aymeric Laporte says "everyone is afraid" of Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old Barcelona and Spain forward who has drawn fresh comparisons to Lionel Messi for his dribbling and ability to unsettle defenders. Yamal made his competitive debut for Barca at 15, signed a lucrative contract on his 18th birthday and inherited the club’s No.10 shirt.

He scored 18 goals across all competitions last season and has 15 this term, with 12 assists in 31 appearances as Barcelona often look to him for inspiration. He has already won La Liga, the European Championship with Spain and the Spanish Super Cup, finished runner-up in the 2025 Ballon d’Or and remains in contention for the 2026 Champions League, with many tipping him for multiple Ballon d’Ors in the years ahead.

Having seen Yamal up close, Laporte praised his one-on-one threat: "With the ball at his feet it’s something extraordinary...

Spain, Barcelona

lamine yamal, barcelona, spain, aymeric laporte, lionel messi, dribbling, ballon d'or, la liga, champions league, goals