Zlatan Ibrahimovic amazed by Lamine Yamal: ‘He is the best player in the world’

Zlatan Ibrahimovic amazed by Lamine Yamal: ‘He is the best player in the world’ Football icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic has offered the ultimate praise for Barcelona teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, officially labeling him the finest footballer on the planet. The legendary Swedish striker expressed his profound admiration for the young winger’s unique abilities and game-changing impact. These glowing remarks arrived directly in the wake of Yamal’s stunning performance for Spain last night, where he completely stole the show in his first career World Cup appearance. Lamine shines in first WC game Facing Saudi Arabia in a crucial Group H matchup at the Atlanta Stadium, the 18-year-old phenom took just ten minutes to open the scoring. Sliding home cleanly at the far post to convert a cross from Mikel Oyarzabal, Yamal became only the second player aged 18 or younger to open the scoring in a FIFA World Cup match – joining the legendary Brazilian great Pele . The best in the world according to Zlatan. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) Though workload management due to a previous hamstring injury restricted his involvement to just the first 45 minutes, his electric half-time display tore the Saudi defense apart and firmly anchored Spain’s dominant 4-0 victory. Praise from Zlatan Ibrahimovic did not hold back in his post-match assessment, emphasizing that the youngster possesses a rare quality that sets him apart from all other modern players. “He is the best player in the world. He’s a special player,” said the former Barcelona striker on FOX Sports (via Mundo Deportivo ). The Swedish legend highlighted the teenager’s rare, unstoppable creativity, noting that every single time the teenager receives the ball, he is bound to engineer a dangerous opportunity. Zlatan reserved high praise for Lamine. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) “Every time he gets the ball, he’s going to create something, no matter if he has two or three defenders in front of him,” noted Zlatan. Such high praise from a historically demanding and confident figure like Ibrahimovic underscores Yamal’s meteoric rise to the absolute pinnacle of global football. The praise from Zlatan follows another legend Wayne Rooney, who was also left in awe of Lamine’s performance against Saudi Arabia on Sunday. Receiving this level of validation from some of the game’s greatest modern forwards further cements the Barcelona talisman’s status as the true present and future of football.