• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Lamine Yamal's record at 17 compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi proves we are witnessing something special

Home> Football> La Liga> FC Barcelona

Updated 16:49 7 Jun 2025 GMT+1Published 16:47 7 Jun 2025 GMT+1

Lamine Yamal's record at 17 compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi proves we are witnessing something special

The teenager continues to shine on the biggest stage.

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Lamine Yamal, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Spain, Portugal, UEFA Nations League

Jack Kenmare
Jack Kenmare

Jack is a Senior Journalist who enjoys a long read. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of Football Manager wonderkids from 2005 to the present day, and has interviewed a handful of FM's finest, including Freddy Adu, Supat Rungratsamee and Mika Aaritalo.

X

@jackkenmare_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Lamine Yamal's record at 17 years, 10 months and 24 days old has been compared to that of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's when they were his age.

If his country manage to beat Portugal on Sunday night, then two-time La Liga winner Yamal will become a Nations League winner, just a year after he helped Spain lift a record-breaking fourth European Championship.

The teenager, who scored twice on Thursday as Luis de la Fuente's side held off France to reach the final, will be hoping to make more history when they visit the Allianz Arena this weekend.

Advert

It has been a remarkable rise for Yamal, who first appeared on our radar in April 2023, when he became Barcelona's youngest ever player after featuring against Real Betis at the age of 15 years, nine months and 16 days.

He would go on to smash Celestine Babayaro's record for being the youngest player ever to start a game in the Champions League at 16 years and 83 days, and soon smashed Gareth Bale's record as the youngest scorer in a European Championship qualification game.

Ahead of his 18th birthday next month, Yamal has netted 25 goals in 106 appearances for Barcelona's first team; not to mention his 20 caps and six goals for the Spanish national team.

How does his record compare to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi when they were 17?

At 17 years and seven months old, Ronaldo made his debut for boyhood club Sporting in the UEFA Cup against Partizan Belgrade. Just a few days later, he made his debut in Portugal's top tier against Sporting Braga.

Advert

Before turning 18, Ronaldo had notched five goals and four assists for Sporting in 19 appearances, but had yet to make his debut for Portugal. Messi, meanwhile, had netted just once for Barcelona's first-team in nine games.

After making his first-team debut in a friendly against Porto at 16 years, four months, and 23 days old, Messi would go ono to make his first competitive appearance for Barca against Espanyol at the age of 17 years, three months, and 22 days.

At 18, both players were starting to make their mark on world football. Messi scored 10 goals in 34 appearances for the Catalan giants, while Ronaldo impressed enough to earn a £12 million move to Manchester United.

Ronaldo and Messi's record at 17. Image credit: messivsronaldo.app
Ronaldo and Messi's record at 17. Image credit: messivsronaldo.app

Advert

Speaking ahead of the Nations League final, Portugal's all-time top goalscorer Ronaldo was full of praise for Yamal.

"Lamine Yamal? I ask you to let the boy grow for the good of football," he said. "Let him grow calmly and take the pressure off him. You can help him by leaving him alone because he doesn't lack talent."

  • Cristiano Ronaldo makes his feelings clear on Lamine Yamal after lacklustre performance in Nations League final
  • Fans slam Lamine Yamal and want him fined as viral footage shows what he did after Spain's Nations League final defeat
  • Cristiano Ronaldo makes honest confession about playing for Portugal as he explains why he was crying after Nations League final
  • Lamine Yamal slammed by Real Madrid legend for what he did in Nations League news conference

Choose your content:

4 mins ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • 4 mins ago

    Former Man Utd player tips club to finish ABOVE Arsenal if they complete two major summer signings

    United finished the 2024/25 Premier League season in 15th place while Arsenal finished 2nd behind champions Liverpool.

    Football
  • an hour ago

    17 Man City stars 'facing axe this summer' as Pep Guardiola eyes biggest overhaul in club's history

    Pep Guardiola is set to trim his Manchester City squad ahead of the new season.

    Football
  • an hour ago

    Viktor Gyokeres spotted training with shock Premier League player in surprise twist to transfer saga

    The Sporting striker has been linked with a transfer to Arsenal and Manchester United, among other clubs, this summer.

    Football
  • 2 hours ago

    Zinedine Zidane has told Real Madrid what Trent Alexander-Arnold's biggest weakness is and how Xabi Alonso can fix it

    Alexander-Arnold started during Real Madrid's 3-1 win against Pachuca on Sunday.

    Football