Yamal is the best player right now: Hamza

Bangladesh star Hamza Choudhury has hailed Lamine Yamal as the best player in the world right now, backing the teenager to inspire Spain to victory against Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

Speaking during the 'bKash Presents The Dream Cup with Hamza' programme, the midfielder said: "Is there too much expectation on someone so young? Normally, the answer would be yes, but Lamine Yamal does not play like an ordinary youngster. Instead, he plays like a global superstar. In my opinion, he is the best player in the world right now, and the most exciting part is that he has not even truly got started yet."

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Yamal's sheer impact transcends conventional statistics, despite the teenager scoring only once in seven matches in the ongoing tournament.

Reflecting on the rise of the 19-year old Spanish sensation, Hamza also noted that football has rarely witnessed such immense influence from a teenager.

"He represents the new generation of football. In our generation, I do not think we have seen another player who has had so much influence at such a young age. His ceiling is incredibly high, and he has the world at his feet. What makes Yamal so special is that he does not just beat defenders with pure speed or flashy dribbling. He is an incredibly intelligent footballer who always knows how to bring his teammates into the game," the midfielder added.

Hamza further analysed Yamal’s diverse skill set, explaining why he presents a unique nightmare for opposition defenders.

"With his fantastic passing range, accurate finishing, and dangerous set-pieces, he has everything needed to one day be in the conversation as one of the greatest of all time. If you give him space, he has the ability to carry the ball right up the pitch. If you get super tight to him, he is going to turn you easily with his pace and power. He also has a great eye to play the final pass, making it very difficult to play against him. Sometimes, it is much more difficult defending against pure intelligence than it is just defending against raw pace and power -- and Yamal has all three," he explained.

The Leicester City star believes Yamal's prior continental success proves Spain can dismantle the reigning champions in the final.

"Yamal has already proven he can play at this elite level. Not long ago, he won the Euros with Spain at a remarkably young age, fitting perfectly into the team. If he performs like that again, Spain definitely have a chance to go all the way. They have a very young squad, but they have already shown they can do it. Even without a traditional number nine, they still have enough going forward to create chances and win games," Hamza concluded.