Gerrard: Yamal is ahead of where Messi and Ronaldo were at the same age

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard believes Lamine Yamal is already well ahead of where Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were at the same age.

Gerrard thinks the young Barcelona star's development has put him ahead not only of his peers but also of the greatest names in the history of the game.

Yamal, who has become something of a phenomenon since breaking into the Barcelona first team in 2023, has scored 62 goals and provided 57 assists in 167 appearances for his club. He has also been directly involved in 23 goals in 37 matches for Spain, playing a key role in his country's Euro 2024 and 2026 World Cup triumphs.

Since Yamal first pulled on a Barcelona shirt in April 2023 at the age of 15, only Harry Kane (204), Kylian Mbappé (179), Erling Haaland (148), Raphinha (130), Mohamed Salah (129) and Michael Olise (125) have bettered his 119 goal involvements in all competitions among players at clubs in Europe's top five leagues.

Gerrard said the youngster is well ahead of his time even when measured against two legends such as Messi and Ronaldo.

Speaking on a programme, Gerrard said: "If he keeps developing like this, he is the only player I could say can potentially reach the level of Messi and Ronaldo. Mbappé and Haaland are at the peak of their careers right now, but to me Lamine seems to be a notch above even them."

Stressing that motivation is the biggest test facing the young star, the Englishman said:

"The biggest challenge he and those around him at Barcelona will face is how they keep him hungry and driven. In terms of talent and potential, he is doing things on the pitch that I have never seen from a 19-year-old before. He is far more advanced than Ronaldo was at 19. I played against Messi in his younger years too, and Yamal is probably further ahead than he was back then as well."

Lionel Messi made his Barcelona debut in 2004 at the age of 17, while Cristiano Ronaldo began playing regularly for Manchester United at 19.

For Gerrard, the decisive question is whether Yamal can match the consistency that Messi and Ronaldo sustained for years:

"Can he find that incredible consistency both of them had? Can he reach the goal tallies they reached, and can he evolve into a genuine number nine over time? That is the real question."