‘Means as much as the gold medal’ - Lamine Yamal reveals the advice Lionel Messi gave him after the World Cup final

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JULY 19: Lamine Yamal #19 of Spain is congratulated by Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina after the 1-0 win during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Hector Vivas - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) FIFA via Getty Images

Lamine Yamal has revealed the advice Lionel Messi gave him after Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina in New York.

Spain won the game 1-0 to ensure Yamal is a world champion at the age of 19. The teenager was spotted consoling Messi after the final whistle and admitted the two did exchange words.

“He told me to keep going my way and that the future belongs to our generation. Those words mean as much to me as the gold medal around my neck,” he said, per ESPN.

Yamal went onto describe Messi as “the best in the history” and added: “He’s someone I’ve always admired. At the end of the match, I showed him my respect.”

Messi was left in tears by the defeat to Spain and admitted in a social media post afterwards that it’s a painful result to have to cope with.

As for Yamal, he’s now yet a Champions League title away from having won all the major honors in the game, as his World Cup win adds to La Liga and Copa del Rey titles with Barcelona and a European Championship with Spain.