▲ Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal
Affectionate advice shared by Argentine football star Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami) with Spanish prodigy Lamine Yamal (19, Barcelona) right after the 2026 North and Central America World Cup final has been revealed.
Argentina, aiming for back-to-back World Cup titles led by Messi, had to settle for runners-up after losing 0-1 to Spain in extra time during the tournament's final held on the 20th (local time) at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
After the final whistle blew, Messi was captured embracing Spain's Yamal.
The two then shared a brief conversation.
According to ESPN on the 23rd, when asked what the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and former Barcelona captain said, Yamal revealed, "He told me to 'keep walking your path' and that 'the future belongs to your generation.'"
Yamal added, "That remark holds as much value to me as the winner's medal hanging around my neck."
To Yamal, Messi remains unchangingly the "greatest player in history."
The tournament final between Argentina and Spain drew even greater attention as it was the first clash wearing national team uniforms between Messi and Yamal, senior and junior alumni of the Spanish powerhouse Barcelona.
A photo of Messi, then 20 years old and playing for Barcelona, bathing a five-month-old Yamal during a UNICEF charity calendar photoshoot in 2007 has also become a hot topic again.
Yamal currently plays wearing the iconic number 10 jersey at Barcelona, which was once worn by Messi.
Ahead of the tournament final, Messi praised Yamal, saying, "He is a tremendous player. A global star," adding, "He is only 19 years old and has a long career ahead of him."
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