Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal wants more records after making senior debut at 15 & earning Lionel Messi comparisons

• Youngster made history at Camp Nou
• Considered to be a hot prospect
• Discussed his favoured position

WHAT HAPPENED? The highly-rated youngster was an unused substitute for the Blaugrana in La Liga meetings with Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano before being handed his first-team bow off the bench in a 4-0 victory over Real Betis. Yamal has become the youngest debutant in Barca’s glittering history – taking that record from team-mate Ansu Fati – and the Catalan native is eager to follow in the footsteps of fellow La Masia academy graduate Messi by leaving a lasting impression at Camp Nou.

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WHAT THEY SAID: Yamal has told Barcelona’s official website of how his debut went and what he hopes to achieve in the future: “I felt a lot of emotions. When I went onto the field, I was impressed by watching Camp Nou. But, little by little, all my nerves went away and I tried to be as comfortable as possible. My team-mates also helped me a lot and I thank them. I'm very happy to be able to have this record, but I hope to be able to beat more. Xavi told me to gain confidence with the first passes and, if I could, to do what I always did. That's what I tried. My team-mates also told me that and, when we finished, they congratulated me.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Yamal is another exciting forward to have progressed through Barca’s youth system, with the teenager saying when quizzed on his favourite position: “I feel more comfortable playing on the right wing. Over the final quarter I am creative and quite skilful.”

IN TWO PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT? Barca intend to put those qualities to good use, but they do need to free up funds that will allow Yamal to be tied down on a professional contract – with there a threat that financial difficulties at Camp Nou could leave the door open for a European rival to sneak in and lure the hottest of prospects elsewhere.