Headline: Rashford Praises Barcelona’s Yamal as Exceptional Talent with Ballon d’Or Potential
Marcus Rashford has expressed immense admiration for Lamine Yamal, calling the Barcelona youngster the most talented player he has ever encountered and predicting he could potentially win seven Ballon d’Or accolades.
The Manchester United forward, who had a fruitful loan period with Barcelona last season, shared his thoughts during a meeting with fans at Old Trafford. Notably, Barcelona once had the opportunity to permanently sign Rashford but opted instead to acquire Anthony Gordon.
Rashford Believes Yamal Could Reach Messi’s Level
Rashford did not shy away from praising Yamal, revealing he noticed the teenager’s extraordinary talent even before his departure from the Catalan club.
“Before I left Barça, I told Lamine Yamal that I’d played with some very talented players, but that he’s head and shoulders above them all.”
He elaborated on Yamal’s unique abilities, stating, “I’ve never seen a player of that age with as much talent as him; he’s the closest anyone has come to Messi’s level over the years.”
Rashford expressed his confidence in Yamal’s future, remarking, “I really believe in his talent; if he goes on to win seven Ballon d’Ors, it won’t surprise me. He’s finished second, third and eighth. And at what age? Nineteen?”
Rashford Acknowledges Messi’s Unique Genius
Despite the comparison to Messi’s potential, Rashford emphasized that the Argentine’s complete footballing skill is unmatched.
“He’s an incredible player. We’ll probably never see another player in our lifetime who is as complete a genius as Leo.”
Rashford also commented on the recent Ballon d’Or results, where Yamal emerged as a strong contender, while endorsing Harry Kane as a worthy winner due to his exceptional scoring and assisting performance this year. “He scored an absurd number of goals this year and provided an absurd number of assists. I sent him a text the other day and told him he deserved it.”
Rashford Discusses His Barcelona Loan Experience
The conversation also delved into Rashford’s career choices, particularly his return to Manchester United after his loan at Barcelona.
Reflecting on his time at Aston Villa prior to joining Barcelona, he explained his reluctance to join another English club if he couldn’t remain with United. “I realised one thing… I couldn’t keep playing against United every season. If United isn’t an option, I told my agent to take me abroad – don’t take me to another Premier League club,” he concluded.
