When Lionel Messi speaks, the world of football listens.

But when Messi chooses to speak about a young player he believes will shape the future of the sport, the world does more than listen—it holds its breath.

Such was the case in a recent exclusive interview with Pedro and Kque Wolf for the program “Simplemente Fútbol,” where the legendary Argentine did more than reminisce about his own storied career.

He shone a spotlight on Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s teenage sensation, and in doing so, may have handed the torch to his spiritual successor.

The interview, which quickly became a viral sensation among football fans, was initially a typical Messi conversation.

He talked about his early days at Barcelona, the stars he shared a locker room with, and the gratitude he felt for those who welcomed him as a child prodigy from Rosario.

But the tone shifted when the subject of Lamine Yamal was raised.

Messi’s eyes lit up, his words became more deliberate, and a sense of genuine admiration colored his voice.

“At first,” Messi reflected, “he felt he had to give the ball to someone else, like Lewandowski, for example.

That’s normal—he’s still only 17, right?
But today, he’s already one of the best in the world.”

Messi’s praise was not just the polite acknowledgment of a veteran to a promising youngster.

It was the recognition of a phenomenon, someone who, in Messi’s eyes, is already rewriting the rules of what is possible at such a young age.

The world’s greatest player, the man who defined an era at Barcelona, was now talking about the boy many see as his heir.

And he did so with a sense of awe.

“He’s impressive, truly impressive,” Messi said.

“What he shows, what he’s doing, what he’s already done—he’s a joy to watch.

He’s growing, becoming more daring.

In the beginning, it was like he felt he had to defer to others.

But now, you see him taking on more responsibility, and that’s incredible at his age.”

Messi knows better than anyone what it means to be a prodigy at Barcelona.

He remembers arriving at a club full of stars—Ronaldo, Deco, Ronaldinho, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol—and feeling like a child among giants.

He was grateful for the way he was treated, for the opportunities he was given, and for the trust that Frank Rijkaard, his first senior coach, placed in him.

But, as Messi admitted, “When you’re that young, you don’t really understand the magnitude of it all.

It just happens.

You don’t give it the importance it deserves at the time.”

That sense of wonder and humility, Messi sees in Lamine Yamal.

He sees a player who is not only supremely talented but also grounded, still unaware of just how special he is.

“He has qualities that are extraordinary,” Messi continued.

“He started on the right, like I did.

Maybe in a few years, he’ll be playing differently, but there’s no doubt he already has world-class abilities.

He’s one of the best in the world right now.”

What Messi said next, however, was not meant for the cameras or the microphones.

It was a private moment, off air, after the interview had ended and the production crew was packing up.

Someone from the team, who later leaked the conversation, described Messi as relaxed, sincere, and unguarded.

When the topic of Lamine Yamal came up again, Messi didn’t hesitate.

He smiled, raised his eyebrows, and said, “Lamine is going to mark an era.

Remember what I’m telling you.

He’s going to win the Ballon d’Or before he turns 20.”

The room fell silent.

When Messi speaks with such conviction, even in private, there is nothing to do but listen.

These were not words for headlines.

They were the observations of a man who has seen thousands of talented youngsters, but who recognizes that, once in a generation, someone truly different comes along.

“He has something you can’t see from the outside,” Messi reportedly said.

“A calmness with the ball that I didn’t have at his age.

And the best part is, he doesn’t even realize yet how good he is.”

The source who leaked these words said Messi spoke with total certainty, as if describing a vision of the future.

“Hansi Flick is going to take him to the highest level,” Messi predicted.

“He’ll build the team around him, and with that coach, Barça will win the Champions League again.

I have no doubt.”

What struck those present was how Messi spoke of Lamine not as a promise, but as a reality.

“There are kids who need time, who need to adapt,” Messi said.

“But not him.

He’s already ready.

You watch him play and it’s like he’s been in the first team for a decade.

That kind of maturity can’t be taught.”

Then came the statement that sent chills through the room:
“If Lamine keeps his feet on the ground, he’ll surpass what many of us have done.

He has everything to do it.”

Messi said this without a trace of ego or resentment—just admiration.

He knows what it takes to reach the top, and he sees in Lamine something he has rarely seen before.

Messi even shared a personal anecdote about a recent visit to Barcelona’s training ground.

He watched a first-team session and saw Lamine execute a change of pace and an outside-of-the-foot assist that left everyone stunned.

“I laughed to myself,” Messi recalled.

“It was like watching someone who already knows how the play will end before it even starts.

That’s when I was convinced—this kid is going to dominate football.”

But Messi’s analysis wasn’t only about talent.

He spoke about the importance of intelligence and adaptability, qualities he believes Hansi Flick, Barcelona’s new coach, will unlock in Lamine.

“Flick loves intelligent players, and Lamine is pure intelligence.

He doesn’t need to run more than the opponent.

He just needs to move well and pass when he needs to.

Flick will enhance him, give him freedom, and that will change everything.”

The leaked conversation also revealed Messi’s excitement about the future of Barcelona.

“With Lamine, Gavi, Pedri, and the structure that’s being built, the club is going back to the top.

The DNA is coming back.

Lamine represents that—street football, audacity, quality, vision, and he can score goals.

He’ll be one of those players who decides big games.”

And then, the prophecy:
“I’m convinced he’ll win the Ballon d’Or.

He has everything, and if nothing strange happens, he’ll win it very soon.

And not just one—he’ll win several.”

Messi’s stamp of approval is the highest honor a young player can receive.

But perhaps the most touching part of the conversation was when someone asked Messi if he would have liked to play with Lamine.

Messi smiled, lowered his head, and said, “Yes, of course, I would have loved it.

Because it’s easy to play with someone like him.

You understand each other right away, and he doesn’t need much explanation.

He knows what to do.”

That sentence says it all.

Messi sees in Lamine Yamal his true successor—not because of media hype or social media followers, but because those who truly understand football, like Messi, see something special when they watch him play.

And they know that something great is about to begin.

What does all this mean for Barcelona?
Everything.

If Lamine Yamal fulfills Messi’s predictions, the club will return to the throne of European football sooner than many expect.

It won’t just be because of Flick, or the academy, or history.

It will be because they have a boy destined to become a legend.

Messi’s era changed the world, but now, quietly, he is pointing to the next.

And if Messi, in private, away from the microphones, says that Lamine will win the Ballon d’Or and the Champions League with Barcelona, perhaps it’s time for the football world to prepare for something extraordinary—the birth of a new king.

So open your eyes wide, because what Messi said off camera isn’t just an opinion.

It’s a warning.

Lamine Yamal isn’t the future—he’s the present, and the best is yet to come.