FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta believes the time has come for Lamine Yamal to establish himself as the club’s new undisputed talisman, asserting that the teenage prodigy is fully prepared to shine on football’s grandest stages.
Speaking on the eve of the World Cup final, Laporta reflected on the extraordinary legacy left behind by Lionel Messi at Barcelona, before explaining why he believes Lamine is capable of carrying the club’s identity into a brand-new generation.
The 2026 World Cup final holds special significance for Barcelona, with nine current and former players who graduated from the famed La Masia academy gearing up to feature on the biggest stage in world football.
Laporta Believes Yamal is Ready to Follow in Messi’s Footsteps
While Messi’s legendary status in Barcelona’s history remains untouched, Laporta firmly believes that every great era must eventually pave the way for another.
“I think this is Lamine’s moment. I want this to be Lamine’s moment,” Laporta stated. “Messi gave us years of absolute glory; he is a part of the glorious and wonderful past of our history.”
The Barcelona president was also asked about the viral photo of Messi bathing a baby Lamine Yamal during a charity calendar photoshoot for the Barça Foundation—an image that resurfaced globally ahead of the World Cup final.
“We are also incredibly proud of our foundation, and that it happened this way. I think it was either pure coincidence or divine intervention that it was Messi who bathed Lamine,” Laporta remarked. “It’s unbelievable. Reality is stranger than fiction.”
Laporta Confident in Lamine’s World Cup Final Performance
Despite the immense pressure surrounding a World Cup final, Laporta insists that Lamine possesses the exact temperament and character required to thrive under such intense scrutiny.
“Lamine is a genius. He doesn’t shrink in these massive events that might overwhelm anyone else,” the Barça chief added. “He is incredibly brave, confronts everything head-on, and possesses maturity far beyond his years.”
Laporta then revealed his ultimate wish once the final kicks off.
“I think and hope that tomorrow’s match will be Lamine’s game, and that he leaves his mark on it, because that is the law of football,” he concluded. “There are players who define a specific era, and now it is time for a change.”
