At 15 years old, just imagine it: Xavi hails youngest Barca debutant Lamine Yamal, calls him ‘similar’ to Lionel Messi

"Lamine doesn’t seem like a 15-year-old, he’s very mature. He’s ready (to play) and he is training well," Xavi added on the teenager.

Lamal, 15 years and 290 days, would pip Lionel Messi among others to become the youngest ever debutant for Barcelona. (FC Barcelona on Twitter/Reuters)

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Lamine Yamal created history for Barcelona as he became the youngest player to feature in the club’s history against Real Betis at the Camp Nou on Saturday at 15 years and 290 days.

Yamal would become the second youngest player to feature for a club after Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri, who debuted at 15 years and 181 days. Born in Spain to a Moroccan father and mother from Equatorial Guinea, Yamal achieved a feat one Lionel Messi would when he made his debut for Barcelona in 2004. Messi, 17, would be the youngest to debut for Barcelona.

Barcelona coach, Xavi, who played a good part of his career alongside the Argentinean at the Catalan club said that Yamal is similar to the World Cup winning captain.

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“He’s a similar player because he has that innate talent in the final third which is difficult to find,” Xavi said. “Lamine doesn’t seem like a 15-year-old, he’s very mature. He’s ready (to play) and he is training well. He can mark an era at this club as part of this team.”

On what he said to the debutant, the Barcelona veteran conceded, “I told him to try things and he did. At 15 years old, just imagine it. He is special and he could have even scored tonight, but (his shot was) saved. He played with confidence and he showed what he is about. He has no fear and bags of talent. Some of his passes in the final third were really good.”

Barcelona would score four past Betis without conceding another, a win that kept them 11 points clear of second placed Real Madrid at the top of the points table.