The teenage Barcelona star has been likened to the football icon for the extraordinary impact he has made at the tender age of 17 but is determined to leave his own legacy as a player.

Quizzed on comparisons with Messi, Yamal told Marca: "It's an honour, but I'm trying to write my own story. Messi is the best in history, I'm still taking my first steps. These comparisons sometimes don't help."

Yamal came to the world's attention with his superb performances for Spain at Euro 2024 and admits that the tournament was the most significant moment of his fledgling career.

He said: "Without a doubt. It was the tournament that allowed me to explode and gain confidence. In any case, I still have many aspects to improve, and I'm already thinking about the next challenges."

Yamal's life has changed completely at such a young age but he is willing to sacrifice normality to be successful on the pitch.

He said: "(I can't do) simple things like going for a walk around the city, going to a shopping centre or to the cinema. I know that everything has a cost, but for now I'm not complaining."

Yamal has been tipped to emulate Messi by winning the Ballon d'Or in the future but claims that he doesn't "obsess" over the individual prize.

He said: "It's not something that obsesses me. First, I have other dreams to fulfil, like winning a Champions League or a World Cup. If one day I win the Ballon d'Or, it will be a consequence, first, of having achieved those collective objectives. But of course, it would be nice."