EAST RUTHERFORD: Spain’s Lamine Yamal shared an emotional embrace with Argentina captain Lionel Messi after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, a moment that quickly gained widespread attention across social media.
Following the final whistle at New York New Jersey Stadium, Yamal approached Messi, who remained seated on the pitch after Argentina’s defeat, and embraced the veteran forward in a gesture widely viewed as a sign of mutual respect between two generations of football.
What happened after the final?
After Spain secured the World Cup title, 19-year-old Yamal walked over to Messi and congratulated the Argentine captain. Images and videos of the exchange were widely shared online, with fans praising the display of sportsmanship following the closely contested final.
Why is the moment significant?
The encounter marked the first competitive meeting between Messi and Yamal, who both emerged from Barcelona’s renowned La Masia academy.
Their appearance in the World Cup final also set a tournament record, with the two starting on opposing sides despite being separated by more than 20 years in age. Messi was born in June 1987, while Yamal was born in July 2007.
What did Messi say about Yamal?
Before the final, Messi described Yamal as a “fantastic” player and said the Spanish winger had the potential to achieve something historic in world football.
How did the match end?
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time to lift the FIFA World Cup trophy. The result handed Messi his second defeat in a World Cup final, following Argentina’s 1-0 loss to Germany in the 2014 tournament final.