La Liga champions Barcelona move on from Leo Messi, thanks to Lamine Yamal

Comparing a young talent with Lionel Messi is borderline blasphemy. However, FC Barcelona's 17-year-old star, Lamine Yamal, is the closest the Spanish giants have come to experiencing Leo. On Thursday, Yamal scored the opener and set up another in a 2-0 win over Espanyol that helped Barcelona clinch the La Liga title with two games left.

Yamal's strike was sublime as he carried the ball from the right touchline, made a lateral run toward the edge of the box and fired a curler into the top corner. "We didn't have many clear chances, but we have a kid in there who sometimes pulls something out of the golden feet he has, and he gave us peace of mind to stay in the game more calmly," Barcelona's Brazilian attacker Raphinha said at full-time.

The golden feet (foot) he was referring to is Yamal's left. For more than a decade until the 2020-21 season, Messi's was the golden feet at Barcelona. The Argentine great is arguably the greatest goalscorer the Catalan side has produced. With 672 goals in 778 appearances, he gifted Barca 10 La Liga titles and a hatful of other domestic and European honours. Messi left a clear footprint at Camp Nou.

Messi won his first La Liga and Champions League titles at 18. Yamal will only turn 18 in July, but he's already won two league titles, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup. Last month, the Spanish teenager reached his 100th Barcelona appearance, which Messi achieved at 20. Yamal was only 15 when he made his La Liga debut, and he is also the youngest scorer in the league's history. Then, like Messi, Yamal too has a divine left.

Yamal has miles to go to reach Messi's goalscoring prowess; he might never do it in all honesty. His assist tally of 13 in the league this season is also modest by Messi's standards. But there is no doubt that he entertains like Messi and has the knack to be a match-winner, like the great man.

"I’d never compare myself with Messi… Leo is the best player ever," Yamal said after helping Barca clinch their 28th La Liga title. He is most probably right. Barcelona might never quite replace Messi, who moved to two countries since exiting Spain and now plays in the US with Inter Miami. But it might be safe to say that the Catalans have moved on from the Messi exit, thanks to the golden feet of Yamal.