Lamine Yamal Opens Up on How He Is Copying Messi to Improve His Performances at Barca

• Lamine Yamal, 16, is one of Barcelona’s most promising prospects
• The Spaniard has adopted Lionel Messi’s diet to step up his game
• Messi altered his diet to lose weight and optimize his performances

Lamine Yamal’s rise in the Barcelona ranks has been phenomenal.

Born in 2007, the 16-year-old is already a key member of Xavi’s Barcelona squad, barely a year after making his senior debut for the Catalan side.

The Spaniard is showing a lot of promise on the football pitch, but with a player of his talents, there is always concern that he may not live up to his full potential due to one reason or the other.

However, Yamal is taking steps to ensure some longevity in his game, and this has included following a diet familiar with one of the greatest players of all time, Lionel Messi.

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Like Yamal, Messi also convinced the world of his potential in his teens, wearing the Barcelona kit for the first time on November 16 2003, according to the club website.

18 years and 672 goals later, the Argentine unceremoniously left Barcelona in 2021, but not before cementing his legacy at the club.

Yamal taking up Messi’s diet

According to Football Espana, Yamal’s physical condition has changed considerably since his debut for Barcelona in April 2023.

This has mostly gone down to the diet he has adopted, which has helped him with his physical development during his adolescent years.

“I’ve gained about four kilos in weight and two centimetres in height in 2024. I’m at 1.81m now,” he told Mundo Deportivo.

The teenager also disclosed that he had incorporated more fish in his diet in a bid to build more muscle mass, as opposed to the recent past when he used to eat whatever he felt like.

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He added, “Before, I used to go with my friends and eat whatever I wanted. Now, I follow the club’s advice. And I drink lots of water. I try to eat more fish because before it is more meat, and from here, I haven’t changed (my diet).”

Lamine Yamal stats

Since breaking into the first-team, Yamal has been a regular in Barcelona’s starting XI.

His fitness levels are also impressive for a teenager, as he has made 40 appearances across all competitions this season, including 29 in the La Liga, as per Transfermarkt.

In 2226 minutes of football, the Spaniard has managed 13 goal contributions.

Barca’s greatest number 10s

Sports Brief also reported on some of Barcelona’s greatest number 10s as Lamal made the cut despite his young career.

Messi sits at the top, as the Argentine’s achievements at the club can arguably never be matched.

Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Diego Maradona also makes the list.