‘Chosen One’: Barcelona Boss Xavi Appears to Crown Lamine Yamal As Lionel Messi’s Successor

• Lamine Yamal has earned rave reviews from Xavi Hernandez
• The Barca boss seemed to confer on him the 'chosen one' title
• Yamal is the youngest player in La Liga history to score five goals

Lamine Yamal has been identified as the 'chosen one' at FC Barcelona, according to head coach, Xavi Hernandez.

The 16-year-old prodigy has quickly risen through the ranks at the Catalan giants, showcasing remarkable talent and potential.

Yamal once again proved his worth for Barca by delivering a stellar performance, scoring a goal and causing constant trouble for Real Sociedad in a hard-fought 2-0 victory on Monday, May 13.

In addition to his goal, he displayed exceptional agility, vision, and creativity, orchestrating many scoring opportunities for Xavi’s team with his precise passing and astute tactical awareness.

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His outstanding display played a crucial role in securing the win, enhancing La Blaugrana's prospects of securing a second-place finish in the league standings.

According to Transfermarkt, Yamal has emerged as a key player for Xavi's squad despite being in his debut season with the first team. He has 16 goal contributions (seven goals and nine assists) in 47 appearances across all competitions.

Xavi hails Lamine Yamal

Xavi, who gave the La Masia graduate his debut start against Real Betis on April 29, 2023, expressed admiration for the young forward's talent and contribution to the team.

"Lamine Yamal is practically a chosen one," the 44-year-old tactician said, as cited by Fabrizio Romano.

Xavi also highlighted Yamal's transformative impact, describing him as a game-changer on the field.

"His decision-making is exceptional. He's not perfect of course, he is 16... but how he makes a difference at such an age already tells you the type of player he is and can be."

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However, he also noted that there is still room for improvement.

"His growth this year has been insane".

Per Barca Universal, the youngster's achievement at the age of 16 years and 305 days marks a historic milestone, making him the youngest player ever in La Liga history to notch five goals before turning 17.

Wonderkid Lamine Yamal writes history in UCL

Sports Brief also reported that Yamal scribed his name in history with his performance in the UEFA Champions League on April 16.

His assist against Paris Saint-Germain, which led to an early lead for Barcelona, marked a historic achievement in his budding career.

At just 16 years and 283 days old, he became the youngest player ever to assist a goal in the Champions League knockout stages.