At such a young age, Yamal’s performance immediately brought one name to Marcus Rashford’s mind: Brazilian legend Ronaldo.
Rashford has been with Barcelona for less than a month and hasn’t yet played a full match alongside Lamine Yamal. Yet, the English forward has already reached a clear conclusion: in his career, he has never played with—or even seen—such a talented young footballer. Watching Yamal on the pitch, the only comparison that comes to mind is the early days of Ronaldo Nazario.
Rashford joined Barcelona from Manchester United on July 23. After overcoming initial registration hurdles, he made his competitive debut for the Catalan club last Saturday in a La Liga match. He came on in the 69th minute against RCD Mallorca. In the 3-0 victory, Yamal scored one of the goals.
Rashford’s experience of seeing Yamal up close has been limited to that match and a few training sessions. Yet he’s already been deeply impressed, sharing his thoughts with Catalan outlet Sport:
“At his age… of all the players I’ve played with, he is the most talented footballer among them. At this age, the influence he has on the pitch—I’ve never played with or seen anyone like him. Maybe Ronaldo Nazario…”
“To have such an impact at such a young age, and so consistently, it’s simply incredible. He has a long, glorious career ahead. I hope he maintains it and continues to improve.”
Yamal just turned 18 last month. At this age, he is already one of the world’s best footballers and a key figure for Barcelona. He played a major role in Spain’s Euro victory last year and performed brilliantly last season as Barcelona won La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa. He is also considered a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or in the future.
“Of course, he can win (the Ballon d’Or). Even if he doesn’t win it this year, he will in the future. Dembélé, Raphinha, all of them deserve it. Choosing one is difficult. But they’ve all had excellent seasons. Lamine is so young, he will definitely win it eventually.”
What surprises Rashford the most is Yamal’s maturity at such a young age.
“He’s top-class talent, an incredible footballer. What amazes me most is how mature he is at this age, the way he thinks and plays… He’s beyond his years. Playing with him is thrilling.”
While Rashford is impressed with Yamal, he now faces his own challenge: adapting to a new club. Last season at Manchester United, he struggled and spent time on loan at Aston Villa. Now at Barcelona, he is eager to rise to the new challenge.
“I’m trying to adapt to the rhythm and style of football here. The best way to do that is on the pitch. Of course, I’ll make mistakes, but I’ll learn from them and improve. Playing alongside the quality of players here is incredibly helpful. The pitch is the best place for me to learn.”
