What Lionel Messi told me after World Cup final — Lamine Yamal
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Both stars shared a moving embrace at MetLife Stadium after Ferran Torres’ 106th-minute extra-time goal secured a 1-0 victory for Spain over Lionel Scaloni’s side.
Speaking after the match, the 19-year-old expressed his immense admiration for the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
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"He’s the greatest player in history and someone I’ve always looked up to," Yamal told Marca.
Lamine Yamal à propos de Lionel Messi 🇪🇸🫂🇦🇷 :
— Instant Foot ⚽️ (@lnstantFoot) July 20, 2026
« Le meilleur de l'histoire et quelqu'un que j'ai toujours admiré. À la fin du match, je lui ai témoigné mon respect.
Il m'a dit de continuer mon chemin et que l'avenir appartient à notre génération. Ces mots valent autant pour… pic.twitter.com/IuPKPKnw81
"After the match, I wanted to show him my respect. 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."
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Yamal will hope to achieve similar greatness as he continues his career at Barcelona, where Messi was legendary, scoring a record 672 goals, winning 10 La Liga titles alongside four Champions Leagues, and setting an unprecedented standard of greatness.
Yamal, who now wears Messi's iconic number 10 shirt at Camp Nou, represents the bright future of both the Catalan club and international football.
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