Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has backed Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal to become a football legend, praising the teenager’s remarkable rise at the highest level.

De la Fuente’s comments were shared by football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on X on Sunday, with the Spain coach expressing his belief that Yamal has the potential to reach the very top of the game.

The Spanish tactician described the 19-year-old forward as a player who is “on his way to become an absolute football legend”, highlighting the exceptional regard in which he holds the Barcelona star.

De la Fuente also suggested that Yamal would be Spain’s standout candidate for the Ballon d’Or if he were the country’s only player in contention for the prestigious individual award.

“If he was the only Spanish player in the run for Ballon d’Or, I’d say he’s the absolute best,” De la Fuente said.

However, the Spain coach acknowledged the strength of the country’s current generation of players, stressing that several Spanish footballers deserve recognition.

He said he did not want to overlook the contributions of other players by singling out Yamal alone.

Yamal has continued to attract widespread attention since breaking into Barcelona’s first team at a remarkably young age, establishing himself as one of the most prominent young talents in world football and an important player for the Spanish national team.