Yamal: Messi told me to go my own way

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Lionel Messi told Lamine Yamal to forge his own path in the aftermath of Spain’s World Cup triumph over Argentina.

Messi cut a frustrated figure as Spain dominated the World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, winning 1-0 after extra time.

Argentina became the first team in World Cup history to fail to have a shot in regulation time in the final, and it was not until Messi tried his luck in the 117th minute that they managed an attempt.

It was the first meeting between Messi and his heir apparent at Barcelona, Yamal, who has taken the famous number 10 jersey for the Blaugrana.

Yamal only managed one goal at what was his first World Cup, though he has already netted 49 goals and provided 45 assists for Barca, having only just turned 19.

Messi and Yamal embraced on the field after full-time, and the latter has revealed what the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner told him.

0 – Yesterday’s final was the first time  Lionel Messi started a FIFA World Cup match without creating a single chance for one of his teammates.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 20, 2026

“He told me to keep going my way and that the future belongs to our generation,” Yamal said, as reported by Marca.

“Those words mean as much to me as the gold medal around my neck.

“[Messi] is the best in history. He’s someone I’ve always admired. At the end of the match, I showed him my respect.”

At 19 years and six days, Yamal became the third-youngest player to play in a World Cup final, after Pele in 1958 (17y 249d) and Giuseppe Bergomi in 1982 (18y 201d).

Messi, meanwhile, became just the second player to play in three men’s World Cup finals (also 2014 and 2022), after Brazil’s Cafu (1994, 1998, 2002). He is also the second-oldest ever World Cup finalist after Italy’s Dino Zoff in 1982 (40y 133d).

However, Messi failed to make a big impact. In fact, the final marked the first World Cup match he has started in, in which he failed to create a single chance.

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