In short, in the simplest terms, Koeman stressed that the teenage prodigy must follow in the illustrious footsteps of Leo Messi, to show that he can reach Messi’s level.

At just 17 years old, the Catalan and Spanish prodigy Yamal is making impressive strides on the path of Messi. He is already a EURO champion with Spain, breaking countless records on the way to asserting himself.

Yamal is often compared to eight Ballon d’Or winner Messi, as both came through the famous La Masia academy system. In addition, Yamal is also left-footed like Messi, which adds to the pressure on the teenage prodigy’s young shoulders.

Yamal shows no signs of slowing down, continuing to push forward, building his career to remarkable standards, even with his relative lack of experience on the field. Many are predicting that Yamal will follow in Messi’s footsteps by winning the Ballon d’Or and the title of best player on the planet at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Former Barca boss Koeman, who is preparing to face Spain in the quarter-finals of the 2024/25 Nations League as Netherlands boss, hopes that Yamal’s huge potential can be fully exploited. “For a coach, it is a blessing to have this type of player. Because of his qualities, he can decide games. I had the opportunity to work with Leo Messi, which is huge. Hopefully Lamine Yamal will have the same importance as Messi for this club,” Koeman said of Yamal ahead of the match.