Everyone wants a piece of Lamine Yamal. That was the feeling after Barcelona drew 3-3 with Inter in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, which was dominated by an incredible performance from the 17-year-old star.

After the match he spoke with CBS Golazo and their panel of Kate Giles, Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards. “I just try to enjoy myself, and make sure that it’s enjoyable for the people that watched the game,” he explained, as well as admitting that when he hit the bar late on, he was going for goal.

17 and has Thierry Henry eating out of his hands. #LamineYamal

— Football España (@footballespana_) May 1, 2025

Meanwhile he also agreed to do a shirt swap with Henry, with the Frenchman attending in the Clasico on the 11th of May. Lamine Yamal also brought about plenty of laughter with his few words of English, inviting Richards to the Clasico, and saying he was aware of his and Carragher’s career.

The teenage starlet also promised to give Richards his shirt too, if he dyed his hair the same blonde that the Barcelona man was sporting.

Erling Haaland admiring Lamine Yamal's game on Snapchat 😍

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 30, 2025

Lamine Yamal thanks Erling Haaland for praise

The world was full of praise for Lamine Yamal during and after the game, including from fellow superstar Erling Haaland. The Manchester City man posted on his social media that Lamine Yamal was ‘absolutely incredible’.

Flick: “Lamine showed us the path we should follow. I’m very happy with the team. We must keep fighting until the end.”

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 30, 2025

During his interview with Spanish channel Movistar+, he was asked about it, and shown Haaland’s comments, for which he thanked the Norwegian forward.

“I honestly haven’t seen anything. I’m grateful, grateful that Haaland recognises my work, but I’m focused on playing, on enjoying myself on the pitch with the ball,” quoted Sport.

Hansi Flick on all the praise for Lamine Yamal

Haaland and Henry were not the only ones full of praise for him. After the match, Inter manager Simone Inzaghi told the press that Lamine Yamal is a talent that comes around once every 50 years. His opposite number was asked whether all the praise could perhaps be unhelpful, as Flick tries to keep his feet on the ground.

“He’s special, he’s special. As I said often before, he’s a genius. During the game, and then when I look at the match again, you see what he does and it is amazing. But then you see all the details. And it shows that with 17 years old, he’s an unbelievable player. For me, it’s important that he keeps going.”

“He shows in the big matches how good he is, in the semi-final, and this is what we want from him. What we need from him. He always does it. In the big matches, he is there. I think he also enjoys this situation, and I’m really happy that this talent, which comes every 50 years, plays for Barcelona.”