Former Barcelona coach reveals 1 Lionel Messi quality Lamine Yamal must 'copy' to reach GOAT level

• Lamine Yamal has been told to draw lessons from Lionel Messi in order to transform from a prodigious talent into one of football's greats
• According to a former coach at La Masia, Barcelona's famed academy, Yamal needs the 'Messi' traits to realise his full potential
• Meanwhile, the 17-year-old, who starred at Euro 2024, will be in action on August 17 as Barca begin their 2024/25 La Liga quest vs Valencia

Barcelona forward, Lamine Yamal, has been encouraged to adopt key traits from Lionel Messi to reach his full potential.

Since making his professional against Real Betis in 2023, Yamal's rise has been nothing short of meteoric.

Lamine Yamal has been urged to emulate one of Lionel Messi's enviable abilities to reach his full potential. Photos by Quality Sport Images and Denis Doyle.
Source: UGC

The La Masia product, who has been shattering records with ease, was Barca's standout performer in what was a challenging, trophyless season for the club.

According to UEFA, Yamal further cemented his reputation by leading Spain to their fourth European Championship title this summer, where he earned the Young Player of the Tournament award for his exceptional performances.

At just 17 years old, Lamine is already regarded as one of football's brightest talents, with the world at his feet.

However, to truly become a global superstar, there are still areas of his game that need refinement.

The important Messi quality Lamine Yamal needs to copy

Former La Masia coach Oscar Lopez has pinpointed specific qualities of Messi's game that he believes Yamal should adopt.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Lopez highlighted Messi's extraordinary ability to control the tempo and rhythm of matches, a skill that set the Argentine apart from his peers.

"One of Messi's greatest strengths was his ability to orchestrate the team," Lopez explained, as cited by Tribuna."He could dictate play, whether from a deeper midfield role or cutting in from the right wing. "Messi knew exactly when to take charge, accelerate the game, or step in when the team was struggling, saying, 'I’m here, and I’m going to decide this match.'

Lopez emphasised that while Yamal has shown incredible promise, he still needs to develop this aspect of his game.

"That level of game management is something Lamine is still working on, but with time, I'm confident he will master it," the 44-year-old concluded.

Messi names 2024 Ballon d'Or award contenders

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Messi has named Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe among the frontrunners for the 2024 Ballon d’Or award but has excluded Jude Bellingham from the race.

The England midfielder, who had a stellar debut season with Real Madrid, is expected to provide stiff competition to whoever is in the running for the prize.

The Ballon d’Or, which both Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi have largely dominated over the last decade, saw the Argentina captain add another to his record-extending accolade following his triumph at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Source: YEN.com.gh