‘He’s closest to Lionel Messi’ – Rashford names player to win more Ballons d’Or than Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has backed Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal to win as many as seven Ballon d’Or awards during his career, saying the teenager possesses qualities that put him closest to Lionel Messi.

Messi has eight Ballon d’Or awards to his name while Cristiano Ronaldo has won five.

The 29-year-old shared his assessment during a question-and-answer session with Manchester United supporters at the Ambassadors’ Lounge at Old Trafford, ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League fixture against Roma.

Audio from the event later surfaced on social media, with Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo reporting Rashford’s comments.

Having spent last season on loan at Barcelona, Rashford had the opportunity to train and play alongside Yamal, giving him a firsthand look at the winger’s remarkable abilities.

The England international revealed that he had already told Yamal how highly he rated his talent before leaving the Spanish club.

“Before I left Barca, I told Lamine Yamal that I had played with some very talented players, but that he is above all of them,” Rashford said, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Rashford went further by describing the 19-year-old as the closest player he had seen to Messi’s extraordinary level, insisting that his talent at such a young age was exceptional.

“I have never seen a player of that age with as much talent as him, he is the closest anyone can be to [Lionel] Messi’s level throughout the years,” he said.

The Manchester United forward also predicted that Yamal could dominate the Ballon d’Or awards in the coming years, saying he would not be surprised if the Barcelona star eventually collects seven titles.

“I believe a lot in this boy’s talent, if he ends up winning seven Ballon d’Ors it won’t surprise me. He has finished second, third, and eighth. And at what age, 19 years old?”

Winning seven Ballon d’Or awards would place Yamal just one behind Messi’s record eight, while putting him two ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has claimed the prestigious individual award five times.

Yamal has already established himself among the world’s leading footballers despite his young age. He finished eighth in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings before securing second place in 2025, behind Ousmane Dembele.

In 2026, the Barcelona winger finished third behind Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe.

He has also continued to collect individual honours, winning the Kopa Trophy for the third consecutive year in recognition of his outstanding performances as one of football’s brightest young talents.