Sport
Rio Ferdinand Claims Lamine Yamal is Better Than 16 Year Old Messi
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has sparked a debate by declaring that Lamine Yamal is ahead of Lionel Messi at the same age.
Like Messi, Yamal emerged from Barça’s prestigious La Masia youth academy, known for producing world-class talents.
He made his first-team debut in a La Liga match in April 2023, and since then, he has become a regular starter for the Catalan giants.
Ferdinand shared his admiration for Yamal at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, where he couldn’t hold back his excitement.
“I love Lamine Yamal. What a player. That’s why I’m here today.
I want to see him, I want to hug him,” he said.
He went further, comparing Yamal’s current level to Messi’s during his teenage years.
“Messi at this age? At 16? Lamine is influencing matches, making decisive plays, scoring goals, and playing beautiful football.
He’s magical,” Ferdinand remarked.
Yamal’s exceptional ball control, mesmerizing dribbling, and creative playmaking have drawn parallels to Messi, with many tipping him as the next big thing in football.
However, Ferdinand cautiously added, “I don’t want to say Lamine Yamal will become the best player of all time, but I think he can.”
Former England forward Gary Lineker believes Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes this season rest heavily on new signing Viktor Gyokeres making an instant impact. The Gunners brought in the 27-year-old striker from Sporting CP in a deal worth up to £63 million after his stunning tally of 54 goals in 52 matches last season.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker said Gyokeres needs to deliver similar numbers if Arsenal are to push for the title again. “A lot will depend on how Gyokeres performs,” he noted.
“He scored a great goal in pre-season, but we all know pre-season doesn’t count for much, except for strikers, where it helps build confidence. He’ll get plenty of service, so if he settles quickly, they could go very close again.”
Super Eagles B coach, Eric Chelle, has opened up on why his side suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Sudan in their 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) clash on Tuesday.
The loss, which followed a 1-0 defeat to Senegal in their opening match, ended Nigeria’s hopes in the tournament. Sudan’s goals came through an own goal by Leonard Ngenge, a strike from Walieldin Khedr, and a brace from Abdel Raouf.
Reflecting on the game, Chelle admitted that his players made too many costly errors, especially after the break. “We made too many mistakes and let the game slip away in the second half,” he said. “Four goals, four mistakes. It’s been the same story in both games against Senegal and Sudan.”
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak appears to have reached the end of the road with the club.
According to reports from The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the Swedish forward has made it clear he will not play for Newcastle again, even if the transfer window closes without a move.
While the Magpies are reluctant to let the 25-year-old go, they are keeping an eye on the market as Liverpool show strong interest in securing his signature.
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