Lamine Yamal has disclosed the heartfelt words Lionel Messi shared with him during their emotional embrace following Sunday's World Cup final. Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in New Jersey, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute.
Match overview and unusual statistics
The match was characterized by Spain's dominance, as Argentina failed to register a single shot on goal during the entire 120 minutes. Despite controlling the game, Spain could not break down the stubborn defending champions until Torres finally found the net. The victory made Yamal, at just 19 years old, both a European and World champion.
Post-match incidents and Messi's gesture
After the final whistle, ugly scenes erupted as some Argentina players and staff clashed with Spanish stars, prompting FIFA to launch an investigation. However, Messi distanced himself from the altercations and instead sought out Yamal for a warm embrace, which many observers interpreted as a symbolic passing of the torch.
Yamal reveals Messi's words
Speaking to Spanish publication Marca, Yamal said: '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.' The teenager added: '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.'
Yamal reflected on his rapid rise, stating: '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.'
Messi's social media reaction
On Monday, Messi posted a message on Instagram expressing the pain of losing what is almost certainly his final World Cup match. 'The pain is immense, and this wound will take time to heal,' he wrote. 'But I also hold onto all the good things… The matches we turned around by giving it our all—moments that will remain in our memories forever—and the support of an entire country which, combined with this group's hard work and effort, brought us back among the world's elite once again.'
Messi acknowledged the difficulty of appreciating the achievement immediately but noted: 'This group reached two consecutive World Cup finals.' He concluded by thanking supporters and congratulating Spain on their victory.
