Luis de la Fuente compares Lamine Yamal to Lionel Messi
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has hailed Lamine Yamal's unique talent, comparing the teenager to Lionel Messi as the Barcelona star nears recovery from injury.
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has spoken glowingly about Lamine Yamal, describing the 18-year-old winger as a player who has been "touched by God." The coach believes the Barcelona star belongs in an elite category of footballing geniuses, drawing parallels between the youngster and Lionel Messi.
Lamine was born for this. He has a daring character. Footballers are people of high ability, they are geniuses and then there are those that are touched by God’s wand and there are very few of those. Lamine, Messi... Luis de la Fuente
De la Fuente highlighted Yamal's ability to handle intense media pressure at such a young age, noting that his mental fortitude is just as significant as his on-field skills. The manager also addressed the resurfaced photo of a young Messi bathing Yamal, suggesting that in life, everything happens for a reason.
Regarding the winger's physical fitness ahead of the World Cup, the coach provided an optimistic update. Yamal has been recovering from a hamstring injury but is hitting his recovery targets ahead of schedule. While De la Fuente is cautious about the opening match against Cape Verde on June 15, he expects the player to be available soon.
The Spanish squad is preparing for a challenging group stage that includes Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. With Yamal serving as the focal point of their hopes, the final decision on his involvement in the opening game will likely be determined during the last training sessions.