A little over two months after the 2026 World Cup final, Lamine Yamal finally revealed that he simply wanted to thank Lionel Messi “for everything he did for soccer” when he went over to embrace him after Spain’s victory.
Yamal’s Spain dethroned Messi’s Argentina as world champions with a 1–0 win in the 2026 World Cup final. Following the match, the teenager went over to hug the defeated soccer legend and say a few words.