Lamine Yamal snubs Lionel Messi when naming the player he'd most want to be

Lamine Yamal did not name Lionel Messi when asked which footballer he wished he could be in another life.

The Barcelona teenager has continued where he left off at Euro 2024 this season, with five goals and 11 assists in 20 La Liga starts this season.

Yamal has also netted twice in this season's Champions League, with the Catalan side set to face Benfica in the last 16 of the competition.

The 17-year-old is expected to take on the legendary number 10 shirt for Barcelona next season and ditch his current number, 19, which was also worn at the club by Messi.

Despite following the 8-time Ballon d'Or winner's shirt numbers at the Camp Nou, Yamal named another Barcelona legend when asked: "If you were born again, which footballer would you like to be?"

In the interview with, Mundo Deportivo, Yamal chose Santos star Neymar over the Inter Miami man.

However, this may not be too surprising for fans, with Yamal also naming Neymar as his footballing idol in an interview with CNN Sport back in January.

"I was five years old when I saw him at Santos but seven years old when I saw him in person at FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou," Yamal began.

"It was incredible to see him. Yes, it’s true that Messi was there who was also incredible, but he was something totally different.

"Neymar has always been my idol. He’s a star, a football legend," he explained.

Neymar for Santos in 2025- Getty

The former Barcelona star has also weighed in on comparisons between himself and the youngster.

"Lamine Yamal is a great player," Neymar said in a recent interview with eFootball via Konami.

"We obviously share some similar characteristics in our play style. I think he has everything to become one of the biggest football stars in the world."