Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Lamine Yamal, Neymar, Barcelona, Santos, FC Barcelona
Matthew Holt
Topics: Lamine Yamal, Neymar, Barcelona, Santos, FC Barcelona
Neymar has made his feelings known on the similarities between himself and Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal.
Yamal is already regarded as one of the brightest young talents in the game despite still being just 17 years of age, much like Neymar was himself when he broke onto the scene with Santos as a teenager.
The pair's knack for dribbling out of tight spaces while also providing both goals and assists from wide areas has led to inevitable comparisons between the pair from fans.
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Brazilian Neymar left Al Hilal just a few weeks ago before returning to his boyhood club in Brazil and was asked what he thought of Yamal's meteoric rise to stardom at his former club.
"Lamine Yamal is a great player," Neymar said in a recent interview with eFootball via Konami.
"We obviously share some similar characteristics in our playstyle. I think he has everything to become one of the biggest football stars in the world."
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Yamal himself has often spoken about how much Neymar influenced his game as a youngster.
The former PSG man of course played for Barcelona prior to the 17-year-old's breakthrough but is still held in high regard in Catalonia.
"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," he said back in January.
"It was incredible to see him. Yes, it’s true that Messi was there who was also incredible, but he was something totally different.
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"Neymar has always been my idol. He’s a star, a football legend."
Yamal has been tipped to go on and become one of the greatest to ever play the professional game by many of his peers after a remarkable start to his career.
His numbers this season despite still developing under manager Hansi Flick make for extraordinary viewing.
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The teenager has 26 goal contributions in 32 games for Barcelona and continues to go from strength to strength.
Having already won the European Championship with Spain too, more silverware could be in store this season in the form of La Liga, Copa Del Rey and the Champions League with Barca seemingly well placed to win all three.