Welcome to the sports media podcast.

I'm your host, Richard Dutch.

My producer is Patrick Antonetti.

This is a first look, which we do on this podcast, where you get a little bit of a taste of an interview.

The interview guest is Ian Dark, the fine ESPN soccer announcer, one of the great global soccer announcers, football announcers in the world.

We will release a long-form interview with Ian Dark in a little bit.

But before that, wanted to give a little bit of a

taste in the interview. And here's a clip from Ian on why he thinks Barcelona teenage phenom,

La Mien-Yemal, has become the new face of global soccer. I think, I don't know if this was on

social media or if you, this is part of your commentary.

But you believe that like Lamin Yamal, who is the great young star of Barcelona, can become the face of global football or maybe is the face of global football right now.

And I just wanted to get your perspective on him because, you know, that's as great a player,

I think, as I've ever seen at 18, 17 years old.

Yeah, I think you'd have to say he's better than Lionel Messi was at this age.

And he's now, I think, on the verge of world superstardom. If he hasn't already

achieved it, he's nominated for the Ballondeur. I don't think he's going to win it this time

because I think it'll go to Osman Dembele of Paris Saint-German who won the Champions League.

But Yamal is a phenomenon. He's absolutely extraordinary.

He was in the team when he was 15.

He's just turned 18.

And he's just about unplayable.

I would say every time he gets the ball,

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