Englishman Steve McManaman, former Real Madrid and Liverpool star, has praised the exceptional technical ability and skill of Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, describing the young Spanish star as the best teenager to ever appear in the history of football.
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McManaman, who played for Real Madrid between 1999 and 2003, went even further, asserting that Lamine Yamal surpasses Argentine legend Lionel Messi at the same age.
Speaking to Spanish newspaper Sport, McManaman said he's certain Lamine is the best player he's seen at age 17, calling him the best teenager ever to grace football pitches.
He compared him to what Michael Owen achieved with Liverpool at 17, and Messi at 17 or 18, saying he believes Lamine surpasses both.
The former England international added that he considers Lamine to have become a global star beyond doubt, and believes he's capable of developing even further given his exceptional skills and abilities. He said what Lamine needs is to keep working hard and refining his playing style, noting that gaining more experience will only make him a better player.
At the same time, McManaman warned about the danger injuries pose to the young player's career, saying he hopes Lamine avoids further injuries like the muscle injury he suffered at the end of last season, noting that playing more matches as an important player at 16, 17, or 18 makes the risk considerably higher.
Mourinho and Real Madrid
In the same interview, McManaman shared his views on José Mourinho's return to coaching Real Madrid, and his ability to bring the club back to championship-winning form, as well as handle a dressing room full of star players.
On Mourinho's ability to manage the dressing room, McManaman said only time will tell, noting that Mourinho came back specifically for this purpose — pointing out that during his first spell as Real Madrid coach between 2010 and 2013, he handled major stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, and Sergio Ramos, and is now returning again trying to overtake Barcelona.
He added that while he doesn't want to underestimate anyone, he expects Real Madrid to finish above Atlético Madrid but said the main goal will be finishing the season ahead of Barcelona warning that finishing behind them would be a disaster, as it would mark three consecutive years without winning the La Liga title.
McManaman's European Favorites
McManaman also touched on the Champions League, whose 72nd edition kicks off this week with the first matchday of the league phase taking place Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Asked about the top contenders for the 2026-2027 title, he said he expects the usual suspects to repeat: PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Liverpool.
He added that, in his view, it will come down to the draw and a bit of luck, but that he doesn't see any team outside the usual names as genuine contenders.
