Lamine Yamal gets ahead of himself by eyeing up Lionel Messi showdown in Finalissima

Spain's young soccer prodigy Lamine Yamal is setting his sights high, hoping to go head-to-head with Lionel Messi in the much-anticipated Finalissima.

The Barcelona starlet has been turning heads at Euro 2024, propelling Spain into the final against England , and he's not shy about his ambitions. At just 17, Yamal has already made a splash on the international stage, netting one goal and delivering three assists, including a crucial one in the nail-biting 2-1 semi-final victory over France.

If Spain can clinch the title in Berlin this Sunday, they'll be crowned European champions for the third time in the 21st century, and it would set the stage for a dream match against the winners of the Copa America Final where Messi's Argentina will face off against Colombia.

Ahead of the big game, Yamal expressed his hopes, saying: "I hope Messi wins the Copa America and I win Euro 2024 so I can play against him in the Finalissima." His bold words are sure to resonate within the England squad, who stand between Yamal's Spanish team and their European dreams - and his potential showdown with Messi.

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Adding to the narrative is a heartwarming backstory: a photo of Messi with a baby Yamal, taken years ago for a charity calendar, has surfaced, adding a touch of destiny to the young talent's aspirations.

Mounir Nasraou's dad recently spoke about the picture to reporters, saying, "They are coincidences in life. Blessing from Leo to Lamine? or from Lamine to Leo. For me, my son is the best," before adding, "Lamine is a special case. He has matured before the others. Thanks to all of Spain, La Masia, friends.."

Yamal's importance to Spain's chances of unlocking England's defence is significant, and he has already outlined his plan. The Barca youngster is aiming to take on his defender right from the start of the game.

Nico Williams on the opposite flank will pose a similar danger. "The first move conditions the game a lot," Yamal stated. "If I go past them, it's there for the match. I always think that it's the full-back who has pressure. If I go past him, I'm touching the goal."

"I receive the ball, if I have a one-on-one, I always go for the full-back because it's a very psychological game and if I go for him, he is scared and then I can go for him more and I improvise. They have respect, the fullbacks don't go into me much. They try to hold off. How am I treated? As a normal player. Opponents especially, I don't think they will not foul me because I'm 16."

Right-back Dani Carvajal looks set to be recalled to the Spain team for their match against Germany and he has been praising his international team-mate. Carvajal was the hero for Real Madrid in the 2024 Champions League Final win against Borussia Dortmund. "That's the good thing about him, that in the end that self-confidence is contributing a lot," the defender said. "We have to look after him, we have to pamper him a lot and not only in the Spanish national team, but also in Barcelona, because it's not easy to manage at this age all the impact he's having."