La Roja head coach Luis de la Fuente spoke glowingly about Lamine Yamal ahead of the World Cup.
Spain national team manager Luis de la Fuente has reserved immense praise for Lamine Yamal ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, declaring the 18-year-old prodigy has been touched by God, while directly comparing him with Lionel Messi.
What De La Fuente said about Yamal
De la Fuente marvelled at the teenager’s unique mental fortitude and natural brilliance, emphasising his status as one of the best footballers in world football.
“Lamine was born for this. He has a daring character. Maybe that [pressure] would have overwhelmed you or me. But these guys are special,” the coach stated to The Guardian.
“Footballers are people of high ability… They are geniuses and then there are those that are touched by God’s wand and there are very few of those. Lamine, Messi…”
Any comparison between both players carries profound context, as Messi famously bathed a six-month-old Yamal during a December 2007 charity calendar photoshoot.
Referencing that viral, fateful encounter, De la Fuente noted, “Maybe Messi has picked up lots of babies… But for those of us who have faith… ‘chance’ is God’s pseudonym when he doesn’t want to sign his name.”
Yamal recently solidified his elite status by winning the 2025/26 LALIGA Player of the Season award, dominating the Spanish top flight and leading Barcelona to consecutive league titles.
Handling the scrutiny that accompanies such rapid superstardom, Yamal continues to deliver breathtaking performances with remarkable consistency.
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“Lamine was 16 [at the Euros], 18 now; he puts up with a brutal media pressure and makes very few errors. One minute, one mistake, and the focus is on that; that’s not fair,” De la Fuente observed.
As Spain prepare to conquer the world stage across North America this summer, all national hopes will be largely pinned on their 18-year-old talisman to replicate his spectacular domestic form and lead the team to glory.