According to a report by GOAL on Wednesday November 4, 2026, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has backed Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal to reach the same legendary heights as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, predicting that the teenager will be discussed alongside the two football icons over the next decade.

Gerrard was full of praise for the 19-year-old winger ahead of Barcelona's 3-0 Champions League victory over Aston Villa on Tuesday night, describing him as an extraordinary talent because of his impressive goalscoring and creative numbers.

Yamal has enjoyed a remarkable start to the season, recording 13 goals and 11 assists across all competitions for Hansi Flick's side.

His performances have also earned him widespread recognition, having finished third in the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings behind Kylian Mbappe and winner Harry Kane.

Speaking on TNT Sports before the Aston Villa encounter, Gerrard described Yamal as a megastar and admitted that his attacking statistics were frightening for a player of his age.

"We're talking about a megastar. He is a freak of a player, the numbers that he's getting at the moment - goals and assists - are beyond belief, scary really," Gerrard said.

The former England international also compared the Barcelona youngster's rapid development with the early careers of some of football's biggest stars.

He believes Yamal has already reached a level that places him in discussions about the Ballon d'Or, despite still being a teenager.

"These players come around every so often - Messi, Ronaldo - and I know I'm not saying this too soon, he's going to be spoken about like them in a decade's time," he added.

Gerrard's comments came after he met Yamal in the tunnel at Camp Nou before Barcelona's Champions League meeting with Aston Villa. The teenager went on to open the scoring in the Catalans' convincing victory.

Meanwhile, Gerrard also praised Barcelona's other attacking signing, Anthony Gordon, following his move from Newcastle United.

The former Liverpool midfielder described Gordon as a player with the desire to improve and develop into a world-class footballer.

"Anthony's a learner, he's someone who wants to grow and evolve. He wants to become a world-class player himself," Gerrard said.

He also credited the coaching at Barcelona and England manager Thomas Tuchel for helping the winger reach another level in his development.

Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole also joined Gerrard in praising Gordon, highlighting his confidence, personality and determination.

Barcelona have enjoyed an impressive attacking campaign, scoring 46 goals in 11 La Liga matches and another 14 in four Champions League fixtures.