Cole Palmer's rise to become one of the best players in the Premier League over the past two seasons is well documented. Recognized as one of the best young talents in the world, the Chelsea star is poised to be among the world's elite for years to come.
But, Palmer believes there's a player a little over five years younger than him that's on another level. In fact, he believes he's the best player in the world.
In an interview with SkySports, Palmer couldn't hide his amazement for Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, confessing he loves to watch him play and that he believes the 17-year-old is the best player in the world.
When asked how good Yamal is, Palmer simply said, "It's mad innit? I think he's the best player in the world to be honest."
"Everything they [Barcelona] do goes through him and when you watch him... it's just mad," Palmer added. "You can just tell, the way he plays, he's confident, he's got not fear. Yeah, I love watching him."
"I love watching him" 🙌
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 15, 2025
Cole Palmer on why he thinks Lamine Yamal is the "best player in the world" at only 17-years-old 🤯 pic.twitter.com/6QXhbgMVQW
Cole Palmer Believes Barcelona Star is the Best Player in the World
Palmer saw Yamal's talent first-hand in last summer's Euro final, where Yamal assisted Spain's first goal before Palmer scored England's temporary equalizer only for Spain to emerge victorious in the end.
More and more fans, players and pundits alike have come out recently expressing thoughts similar to Palmer's regarding Yamal. Only last week, David Beckham called the Spaniard, "the closest thing I've seen [to Lionel Messi]." At just 17-years-old, people appear to be tiptoeing around the very real possibility of Yamal already being the best player on the planet.
Yamal has 16 goals and 24 assists through 52 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions this season. Although there's players across Europe with a more impressive statistical output, Yamal's performances and moments of magic go beyond the numbers.
Barcelona and Yamal completed a domestic treble by winning La Liga with a victory over Espanyol on Thursday, May. 15, a feat that could go a long way in helping his chances of cementing his status as the best player in the world by winning the Ballon d'Or award in October.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cole Palmer Believes Barcelona Star is the Best Player in the World.
