Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, or Lamine Yamal? UEFA Champions League winner Marco van Basten drops shock verdict on world’s best player
The debate over who sits at the very top of world soccer has defined an entire generation. Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, or Lamine Yamal—each name represents a different era, a different idea of greatness. Now, as soccer enters a period of transition, a new verdict has arrived from one of the sport’s most respected voices. Marco van Basten, a two-time UEFA Champions League winner and three-time Ballon d’Or recipient, has made his choice for the best player in the world right now. And it is a decision that challenges long-held assumptions about age, experience, and hierarchy at the very top of the game.
Van Basten’s words have quickly rippled through the soccer world—not because they dismiss the achievements of the sport’s modern icons, but because they signal a shift that many believed was still years away.
The player Lamine Yamal has been officially crowned by Marco van Basten as the best player in the world right now. Speaking on Ziggo Sport’s Rondo, the Dutch legend left little room for interpretation. “Lamine Yamal, without a doubt, is the best player in the world right now,” van Basten said, delivering one of the most definitive endorsements imaginable.
Coming from a figure whose career set benchmarks for excellence, the statement carried exceptional weight. For the Dutchman, this is not about future potential or promise. It’s about current dominance, influence on matches, and the ability to decide games at the highest level—qualities he believes Yamal already possesses.
Declaring a teenager superior to established icons like Ronaldo, Messi, or Mbappe is not a casual opinion. It is a radical statement rooted in observation rather than reputation. Ronaldo and Messi defined soccer for nearly two decades, rewriting record books and reshaping what longevity means at the elite level. Mbappe has been widely viewed as their natural successor, combining youth, speed, and decisive end product on the biggest stages. Yet van Basten’s assessment suggests that the conversation has already moved on. In his view, the game’s present—not its past or future—belongs to Yamal.
The 2025 breakthrough that changed everything
The year 2025 has been transformational. Yamal has gone from prodigious talent to central figure, establishing himself as a decisive force for club and country in the Spanish system. At just 18, he finished second in the Ballon d’Or race—an achievement that historically belongs to players at the peak of their careers.
He also led elite metrics that go beyond goals, including dribbling success and overall attacking influence, while becoming the most commercially visible player in world soccer through record jersey sales. These are not developmental statistics. They are indicators of dominance.
Van Basten’s warning: Greatness must be protected
Despite his glowing praise, van Basten also issued a clear note of caution. “All I hope for is that we get to enjoy watching him for as long as possible,” he added, emphasizing the importance of careful management. The Dutch legend understands the risks that come with early stardom. Injuries, overload, and expectation have shortened many promising careers before their true peak.
Yamal has already faced physical setbacks, missing matches this season due to pubalgia—an early reminder that even generational talent is vulnerable. For van Basten, protection is not about limiting ambition. It is about ensuring longevity. The goal is not just brilliance—but sustained brilliance.