Once described by French legend Thierry Henry as being “ahead of the game,” Lamine Yamal is a rising superstar of the sport and is widely considered to be the future Lionel Messi. The 18-year-old has already won three La Liga titles with FC Barcelona, a Spanish Cup, a Spanish Super Cup and a Euros championship in addition to being a Ballon d’Or runner-up. It isn’t just the statistics that make Yamal a superstar — though it certainly doesn’t hurt to be one of La Liga’s top scorers. The teenage phenom is able to complement his obvious technical skills with a flair and maturity in high-pressure situations that is well beyond his years. Spanish national team manager Luis de la Fuente described Yamal earlier this year as being one of those players whom you watch and think that he’s “touched by magic.” It’s an aspect of the game that cannot be described in words but can be felt whenever that athlete gets a touch on the ball. Yamal is most likely your favorite player’s favorite player to watch, to steal a somewhat corny adage. Yamal was born in Spain to a Moroccan father and a mother from Equatorial Guinea. He said he chose to play for the Spanish national team because he wanted to compete in European championships. This summer will be his first World Cup appearance and he’s coming in riding high after Barcelona won its second consecutive La Liga title a few weeks ago. He’s expected to arrive after a pause in his club play after a hamstring injury sidelined him for more than a month, though Barcelona’s management has predicted that he will be in shape in time for the tournament.Spanish fans are putting a lot of hope on Yamal as the national team has failed to make it past the round of 16 since winning the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.