Lamine Yamal‘s career to date has seen him earn widespread comparisons with Lionel Messi – but which prodigious talent enjoyed the better start to their career?

Yamal made his 200th career appearance in Barcelona’s Champions League match with PSG in October 2026, putting up some incredible figures even while still a teenager.

The winger has scored 70 goals and provided 69 assists in his career to date, adding up to a goal contribution tally slightly higher than Messi’s.

Messi himself made his 200th senior career appearance in June 2009, playing for Argentina in a 2-0 World Cup qualifier defeat against Ecuador.

You may remember his 198th career appearance with more clarity, as he scored the second goal in Barcelona’s Champions League final victory over Manchester United.

He scored 92 goals and provided 46 assists in his first 200 games, scoring more free-kicks than Yamal and recording the same number of hat-tricks.

The elder statesman has a slightly better goals-per-minute and goal contributions-per-minute ratio, but Yamal has more trophies in his cabinet.

Here’s the full breakdown of how Yamal’s record compared to Messi’s after 200 senior appearances for club and country:

Lamine Yamal

Goals: 70
Assists: 69⭐
Goal contributions: 139⭐

Penalties scored (taken): 8 (11)
Free-kicks: 0
Hat-tricks: 1

Minutes per goal: 212.6
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 240
Minutes per goal or assist: 107

Trophies Won – : 8⭐

– 2022-23 La Liga
– 2024 UEFA European Championship
– 2024-25 La Liga
– 2024-25 Copa del Rey
– 2025 Supercopa de Espana
– 2025-26 La Liga
– 2026 FIFA World Cup
– 2026 Supercopa de Espana

Lionel Messi

Goals: 92⭐
Assists: 46
Goal contributions: 136

Penalties scored (taken): 10 (13)⭐
Free-kicks: 3⭐
Hat-tricks: 1

Minutes per goal: 153.74⭐
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 172.4
Minutes per goal or assist: 102.49⭐

Trophies Won – : 7

– 2004-05 La Liga
– 2005-06 La Liga
– 2005-06 UEFA Champions League
– 2006 Supercopa de Espana
– 2008-09 La Liga
– 2008-09 Copa del Rey
– 2008-09 UEFA Champions League