According to a report by Barca Universal on Tuesday November 3, 2026, Former Barcelona and Real Madrid winger Luis Figo has praised Lamine Yamal’s exceptional abilities, making an amusing admission about how they might have shared the pitch if they had played together.

The former Portugal international suggested that he could have been forced to change positions to accommodate the Barcelona youngster.

Figo, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2000, was discussing Yamal’s playing style and the difficulties defenders face when attempting to contain talented attackers. The 19-year-old has established himself as one of Barcelona’s most influential players. His dribbling ability and creativity make him a constant threat from the right wing.

When asked about the possibility of playing alongside Yamal, Figo responded humorously. He acknowledged that their preferred positions could have required a tactical adjustment.

“If we had played together, maybe I would have had to play on the left and switch positions,” he said, as quoted by SPORT.

The former winger also explained why marking a player like Yamal individually across the pitch would be extremely difficult. He believes modern football has gradually moved away from traditional man-to-man marking.

According to Figo, defenders now concentrate more on protecting their designated areas rather than following particular opponents everywhere on the pitch.

“I think you see less and less man-to-man marking on the field these days. Logically, you mark the player who most often comes into your zone, in this case, the left back,” he explained. “Trying to mark him man-to-man all over the field would be crazy,” Figo added.

The Portuguese legend also reflected on his own footballing abilities during the conversation. He recalled the technical quality, physical strength and acceleration that made him one of the finest right wingers of his generation.

Figo was particularly effective in one-on-one situations, using his dribbling skills and pace to overcome opposition defenders.

His comments underline the admiration Yamal has earned from former greats of the game, with the Barcelona teenager continuing to establish himself as one of the most exciting attacking talents in modern football.