This is an excerpt from Lamine Yamal's interview in Champions Journal. Check out  issue 18 to read the full story.

WORDS Graham Hunter

The first rule of Lamine Yamal club is that you do not talk about Leo Messi. At least not to compare the young tyro with the greatest player who ever lived. Forgive me for adapting the infamous tagline from the Brad Pitt/Ed Norton movie Fight Club, but you’ll understand why. 

There are, undeniably, things which link the Spaniard and the Argentinian: each possesses a divine left foot, and they share the heritage of that FC Barcelona badge plus the common bond of having grown up around La Masia, the club’s world- renowned hothouse for young talent. 

Both were precocious Barça debutants: Messi at 16, albeit in a friendly, Lamine at 15. Their initial fame was born from drifting in off the right wing then being capable of doing sublime, anarchic things with their left foot. And, I think, there’s another important link: each of them is blessed with privileged vision plus an understanding of what to do and when to do it. 

Unlike many prodigious technical talents, neither of them – Messi back in the day, Lamine now – believes that technique is an end in itself. Neither feels that wowing the stands and basking in the adrenaline-tsunami of individual praise has anything to do with why they were given gifts. They play for the team. They crave the feeling of winning. 

But that’s it. This is when the first rule of Lamine Yamal club kicks in. Hard. While detailing the factors which link the two is fine, comparisons, predictions and knee-jerk hype are odious. Unnecessary. Potentially damaging. 

Barcelona’s current prodigy – because that’s what he is and you’d better make no mistake about it – really does not need a single further comparison with the most complete footballer who ever lived. How Lamine evolves as a man, as a footballer, is down to him and requires absolutely zero tramlines set by the tracks Messi left behind. No comparative hype or empty messianic hyperbole. He’s still a kid. Ask Lamine to reveal his worst habit and he’ll say, “Eating sweeties.” 

Ask what people know least about him and he’ll answer,

“I like to do the things children my age do and people think that I do the things grown-ups do.” 

Wait, though. Hold on, there’s one more pair of links, and I’d better spit them out soon or Brad Pitt will be after me. Push the 16-year-old on what he hates most and he’ll tell you “losing”, almost as if quoting Barcelona’s greatest No10. 

And what’s your greatest asset? 

Lamine: “My biggest strength on the pitch is thinking before making decisions.” Here, again, this is one of the things which has always elevated Messi above not just the crowd but the rest of the elite as well. And if you wrap up the quick-fire questions with “First idol?” then, of course, Lamine’s answer is: “Leo Messi!”