Spanish legend explains why Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal is better than Vinicius Jr.

Marcos Senna, a celebrated figure in Spanish football,  has expressed his admiration for Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal. In his analysis, he revealed that he holds Yamal in higher regard than Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. 

Senna explained that while both players possess remarkable skills, he is particularly drawn to Yamal’s exceptional speed. 

He recalled how he has often favoured Lionel Messi over Cristiano Ronaldo in discussions, highlighting that Messi’s pace and ability to influence the game made him stand out. 

According to Senna, this same quality is what makes Yamal a special talent. He appreciates Yamal’s dynamic presence on the field and his versatility in passing, which sets him apart from many players. 

“They are both great players, but I like Lamine much more. The reason is that he has pace,” said the former Villarreal midfielder as quoted by Mundo Deportivo. 

“When I was asked before who I preferred, Messi or Cristiano, I always preferred Messi because of that, because of the pace. He had more presence in the game. More diversity in passing… other things,” he added.

Yamal is overall better

Marcos Senna feels Lamine Yamal is better than Vinicius Jr. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Although he acknowledged Vinicius as a great player, Senna pointed out that while Vinicius has executed some stunning passes—like a brilliant assist to Rodrygo during a match against Espanyol—Yamal’s overall performance catches the eye more consistently. 

“Vinicius sometimes makes passes that are brutal. The other day he gave one to Rodrygo with Espanyol that looked like Modric had given it.

“But Lamine hits it much better and in one-on-ones, he catches the eye more. If he already had Vinicius ‘ speed he would be the perfect dribbler,” explained Senna. 

Thoughts on Iniesta’s retirement

Meanwhile, Senna also took a moment to reflect on the career of Andres Iniesta, who is set to announce his retirement soon. 

He lamented the fact that Iniesta has never won a Ballon d’Or, stating that he should have received at least one, particularly the award in 2010. 

“Andres should have won at least one Ballon d’Or, the one in 2010. He is a world reference, not just a Spanish one. 

“His time has come. He is one of those players who should never stop playing. He has always been amazing. As a player and as a person. A joy,” he concluded.