When it comes to footballing idols, few come bigger than Lionel Messi – the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner widely regarded as the greatest player of all time.

So, when your father is that Lionel Messi, you might assume he’s the only footballer you’d ever look up to. But that’s not quite the case for Messi’s three sons – Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro – who have their own list of modern-day heroes.

In a recent and rare interview with Simplemente Fútbol, the Argentina and Inter Miami superstar was asked which current players his sons – who all play in Inter Miami’s youth academy – aspire to.

He named five standout stars: Real Madrid duo Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr., Barcelona stars Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski, and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

“They watch everything, they know everyone,” Messi said. “They talk to you about Mbappé, Vinicius, Haaland, Lewandowski, Lamine. They follow everyone – not necessarily wanting to be like them, but they do know everything.”

Messi took a moment to focus on one name in particular: Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona wonderkid often compared to Messi himself – not just because of the club connection, but because of his style of play.

The Spanish winger, 17, is among the favourites to land this year’s Ballon d’Or after an astonishing season that saw him score 18 goals and register 25 assists for Barça, helping them lift a historic treble of La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey.

“It’s impressive. What he’s showing, what he’s doing, what he’s done is impressive,” Messi said. “He was already a European champion. He’s still 17, he’s in the process of growth, and I think he’s going to grow even more as a player; he’s going to add things to his game.”

He also noted a shared journey, both having started on the right wing.

“Just as I started, he also started on the right. Maybe in a few years he’ll end up playing differently too,” Messi added. “There’s no doubt he has barbaric skills; today he’s already one of the best in the world.”

With Messi as their dad and stars like Yamal to look up to, don’t be surprised if one of his boys becomes the next name lighting up world football.