The forward for Manchester United, Marcus Rashford, has compared Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal to Lionel Messi and given Yamal his support for a lifetime total of seven Ballon d’Or victories.
Cristiano Ronaldo has five Ballon d’Ors to his name, while Lionel Messi has eight.
In the Ambassadors’ Lounge at Old Trafford, the 29-year-old gave his verdict during a question-and-answer session with United supporters before Tuesday’s Champions League match against Roma.
Audio from the occasion eventually made its way online, and Rashford’s remarks were reported by the Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo.
Rashford got a firsthand glimpse at Yamal’s incredible talents last season while on loan at Barcelona, where he trained and played alongside the winger.
Before departing the Spanish club, the England international had previously told Yamal how highly he viewed his abilities, according to the revelation.
Rashford reportedly said Mundo Deportivo, “Before I left Barca, I told Lamine Yamal that I had played with some very talented players, but that he is above all of them.” So the story goes.
Rashford went even beyond, saying that the youngster’s remarkable potential was evident even at such a young age, and he compared the 19-year-old to no one he had ever seen, even Messi.
“I have never seen a player of that age with as much talent as him, he is the closest anyone can be to [Lionel] Messi’s level throughout the years,” he commented.
“I believe a lot in this boy’s talent, if he ends up winning seven Ballon d’Ors it won’t surprise me,” the Manchester United forward said of Yamal, predicting that the Barcelona star could dominate the Ballon d’Or awards in the coming years. He has achieved third, eighth, and second place finishes. When did you turn nineteen?
The seven Ballon d’Ors that Yamal would collect would put him two ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the prestigious award five times, and one behind Messi, who has won eight.
Surprisingly, for someone so young, Yamal is already considered one of the best footballers in the world. He was ranked eighth in 2024 and second in 2025 for the Ballon d’Or, with Ousmane Dembele taking first and second place, respectively.