Lamine Yamal is a World Cup champion with Spain after his country secured a dominating win over Lionel Messi's Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Sunday.
One of the highlights of the match was the reunion of Yamal and Messi on the pitch, 19 years after they were photographed when the Spanish player was an infant and the Argentine captain, only 20 years old. Yamal, now 20 has shared the words of wisdom his Barcelona senior imparted.
The baton was passed when Spain defeated defending World Cup champions Argentina. 19-year-old Lamine Yamal, who is Barcelona's current sensation shared the pitch with his club legend Lionel Messi for the first time.
The 39-year-old had a historic World Cup run with Argentina in this edition but failed to retain the trophy after a lacklustre performance by his country on the final. Following the match, a dejected Messi sat down on the pitch and stared into oblivion when Lamine arrived to greet him. The two Barcelona stars shared an embrace, an image that has warmed the hearts of all football fans.
After the match, the teenage World Champion shared how surreal it was to face the greatest player ever on football's biggest stage. "If someone had told me a few years ago that I’d be here lifting the World Cup after playing against Lionel Messi, I would have thought they were crazy".
The youngster added, "He’s the greatest player in history and someone I’ve always looked up to. After the match, I wanted to show him my respect". Sharing the words that the Argentina captain shared with him he said, "He told me to keep following my path and that the future belongs to our generation. Those words are worth as much as the gold medal hanging around my neck."
The exchange went viral all over social media, especially since fans have waited for the moment the two players met. Many fans view Lamine Yamal as Lionel Messi's successor at Barcelona given the young player's exceptional talent and style of play.
The 19-year-old is also the current owner of the No. 10 jersey of the club, famously worn by the Argentine for years. Both players were trained and prepared in Barcelona's academy La Masia and while Yamal is seen as the future of the club, Messi's name has been cemented in their history forever.
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