According to a report by Barca Universal on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, Steven Gerrard has made a huge claim about Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, insisting that the teenager is currently more advanced than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were at the same stage of their careers.

The former Liverpool captain believes Yamal has the ability to become one of football's greatest players, provided he receives proper guidance and continues working hard to improve his game.

The Barcelona youngster has enjoyed another impressive period with the Spanish giants, establishing himself as one of the most influential attacking players in European football. Despite missing out on the Ballon d'Or once again this year, his performances have continued to attract admiration from former players and football experts.

Gerrard made his assessment while discussing Yamal's development on The Overlap podcast. Comparing the teenager with Messi and Ronaldo during their early years, the former England midfielder explained that the Barcelona star appears to be further along in his development than the two superstars were at a comparable age.

However, Gerrard was careful to distinguish between potential and established greatness. He acknowledged that Yamal has not yet produced the extraordinary performances Messi and Ronaldo delivered during their most successful periods. Nevertheless, he believes the youngster has the qualities to reach a similar level in the future.

The former Liverpool skipper also highlighted Yamal's enormous potential when discussing other outstanding attacking talents, placing him ahead of players such as Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in terms of what he could eventually achieve.

Gerrard also shared a personal experience involving the Barcelona forward, recalling how they embraced during the Aston Villa encounter. He described the moment positively and explained that maintaining the teenager's ambition will be particularly important as his career progresses.

According to Gerrard, Barcelona must ensure that the right people surround Yamal and help him remain focused on achieving greater success. He believes the youngster should continue to have the desire to collect major team trophies and individual recognitions rather than allowing his early achievements to affect his motivation.

The former midfielder further praised the level of football Yamal is displaying at such a young age, suggesting that his performances are exceptional compared with what is normally expected from players in his age group.

He also expressed doubts about the possibility of Yamal wanting to leave Barcelona, considering the club's history, ambitions and regular involvement in the race for La Liga and Champions League honours.

Gerrard finally revealed that he had followed Yamal's progress from his younger playing days, when the Spanish attacker faced teams at Under-18 and Under-19 level. He particularly remembered the youngster's battles against sides featuring Curtis Jones, explaining that both players were often the standout performers on the pitch.

His assessment reflects the growing reputation of Yamal, whose remarkable progress has placed him among the most highly regarded young footballers in the world.