Spain winger Lamine Yamal has disclosed the words of encouragement he received from Argentina captain Lionel Messi after Spain defeated the reigning champions in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Yamal embraced Messi at the end of Sunday's final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey after Spain secured a 1-0 extra-time victory to lift the World Cup trophy.
Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in extra time to hand La Roja the title and deny Lionel Scaloni's Argentina a successful title defence.
Reflecting on the emotional exchange after the final whistle, Yamal described Messi as the greatest player in football history and someone he has always admired.
"I wanted to show him my respect after the match," Yamal said.
According to the Barcelona youngster, Messi encouraged him to remain focused on his career, telling him to continue on his path because the future belongs to the next generation.
Yamal said the Argentine legend's message meant as much to him as winning the World Cup, adding that the words would remain one of the most treasured moments of his career.
The 19-year-old currently wears Barcelona's iconic No. 10 shirt, a jersey made famous by Messi during his illustrious spell at the Spanish club.
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