Just Like Messi! Barcelona Made a Rare Exception for Yamal at Age 12
Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal received special treatment at La Masia, joining the academy at age seven before moving there permanently at 12. Former director Xavi Martin revealed he was the only local youngster of his age granted full residence.
His maturity, intelligence and disciplined habits impressed coaches, who compared his extraordinary natural talent to Lionel Messi’s.
With the remarkable rise of Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy has once again demonstrated its ability to develop extraordinary footballing talent. The young Spanish winger continues to impress for Barcelona and is considered one of the leading contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, according to the report published by GOAL on October 20, 2026. The documentary Revolution 304 explores how La Masia helped shape Yamal’s development. Xavi Martin, the academy’s former director, revealed that Yamal joined Barcelona at the age of seven after arriving from La Torreta.
At 12, he moved to live permanently at La Masia, receiving a rare privilege. According to Martin, Yamal was the only local youngster of his age granted full-time residence at the academy. Martin explained that Yamal’s family circumstances and daily habits influenced the decision. His commitment to maintaining proper nutrition, completing schoolwork, attending training sessions and sleeping early helped convince the academy to provide this opportunity. The former director also praised Yamal’s maturity, intelligence and responsible behaviour during his childhood.
He suggested that the youngster possessed natural qualities that sometimes went unnoticed, much like his exceptional performances on the football pitch. These characteristics reminded Martin of Lionel Messi, Barcelona’s legendary former forward, whose extraordinary talent also became evident during his development at the club. Yamal’s journey from a seven-year-old academy recruit to a leading Barcelona star has therefore strengthened comparisons with Messi and raised expectations about his future achievements.