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Messi Declares Lamine Yamal the Best New Generation Player and Drops a Ronaldo Reminder
Sports
Published on 10 May 2026
Messi backs Yamal first, but rivalry with Ronaldo still
Lionel Messi has heaped praise on Spain’s rising star Lamine Yamal, calling him the best player of the new generation at an Adidas event tied to FIFA World Cup 2026. Speaking alongside the spotlight on Yamal’s promise, Messi also revisited the themes of his long-standing rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, adding extra weight to the compliment.
- Messi singled out Lamine Yamal as the best young talent
- The comments came during an Adidas World Cup 2026 campaign event
- Messi also referenced his enduring rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo
- Yamal’s rapid rise continues to draw global attention
Read the full story at Republic
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
Republic