Romario didn't hesitate. Asked to choose between Vinicius Jr and Lamine Yamal, the Brazilian legend went straight for the 17-year-old. "Between Vinicius and Lamine Yamal, I'd choose Lamine," he told Iker Casillas in a recent interview — no qualification, no caveats.
That's a pointed take from someone who knows what elite looks like. Romario won the 1994 World Cup, scored goals that defied physics, and played alongside some of the best players the game has ever seen. When he rates a teenager above one of the current Ballon d'Or frontrunners, it's worth taking seriously.
His reasoning was specific: Yamal's technique sets him apart, his teammates trust him to decide games, and — crucially — he already knows how to score. "I'm certain he can have an exceptional career," Romario said. For a player already logging regular Champions League minutes at 17, the trajectory backs that up. Anyone pricing Yamal in next season's top scorer or assists markets should probably be doing so with a long-term view.
The Barcelona years — and the Cruyff fallout
Romario also revisited his own time at Barcelona, which started in 1993 and fell apart faster than most people remember. He signed a three-year deal but was effectively out the door by January 1995. The catalyst? Returning 20 days late after the World Cup, and a falling-out with Johan Cruyff that never really recovered.
"I spoke with Cruyff and told him I wouldn't be back on time," he said. "After that, I had some issues with the team." Diplomatic, but you can read between the lines. Cruyff didn't tolerate disruption to his system, and Romario — brilliant but not exactly a disciple of the rigid pressing structure — was never going to be a long-term fit.
Still, he called Barcelona "the best club in the world" in the same breath. Old wounds, apparently, heal.
His verdict on the current Barça side
On Hansi Flick's Barcelona, Romario was measured. He rates the squad — but not without conditions. "Technically speaking, I don't think it's at the same level as Messi's or mine," he said, "but it has three players who make a huge difference: Pedri, Yamal, and Raphinha."
That's a fair read. This Barcelona team doesn't have the depth of the Guardiola or Pep-era squads, but their top end is genuinely dangerous. Romario thinks they have enough to win the Champions League, which aligns with how the market is currently treating them — competitive odds, real belief, one or two injury crises away from it unraveling.
He also offered a quietly sharp observation about Guardiola as a player: "I always saw him paying close attention to what Cruyff said and did." The implication being that Guardiola basically reverse-engineered his entire coaching career from watching one man think. Hard to argue with that.
