Lamine Yamal’s trajectory to legendary status continues.

Yet his rapid ascent on the global stage at such a young age has prompted concerns from a former Ballon d’Or winner, with Ruud Gullit admitting he is ‘really worried’ about the volume of games the 18-year-old has already played for club and country,

“The only thing is, the team depends on him a lot. And he’s a very young player. I’m really worried he’ll get injured because they use him all the time.”

Speaking to AS, the Dutch midfield maestro was of course referring to Barcelona, the Spanish giants deploying their teenage prodigy on 44 occasions this season, with all but three of them starts. In return, Yamal has gifted his employer 41 goal involvements, as well as a series of scintillating performances.

Factor in too, the Blaugrana’s remaining fixtures for 2025/26, and the player’s World Cup commitments with Spain this summer, and the youngster could well top 50 games for the third season running.

Elsewhere, however, on a much more positive footing, Sergio Aguero has spoken about his steeped admiration for the winger, even going as far as to compare him to a talent rated by many as the greatest of all time.

“I want everyone to go and watch him. The movements, the passes, the dribbling, the agility he has and how he gets out of situations that look impossible… the guy who did that before was Leo Messi.”

It is not unprecedented for the two-time recipient of the Kopa Trophy to be likened to Messi. Here though, the connection has been made by the Argentine great’s best friend in football, and long-time international team-mate.

Aguero though has not been the only ex-Barca hero to come forward this past week to lavish heightened praise on last year’s Ballon d’Or runner-up. Naymar too has had his say, telling Fabrizio Romano:

“I truly believe Lamine is one of the greatest teenage sensations football’s ever seen. There was Leo Messi, there was me — but what this kid is doing at 18 years old is simply something unreal.”

The legends are in full agreement, that Lamine Yamal is destined to one day reach a plateau inhabited by only the very few. That day appears to be coming sooner, rather than later.