Lamine Yamal consoles Lionel Messi after Spain's 1-0 World Cup final victory over Argentina

Lamine Yamal consoled Lionel Messi as Spain sealed a 1-0 World Cup final victory over Argentina at MetLife Stadium, turning a historic win into a quiet, emotional handover moment. The result landed in extra time after Ferran Torres’ strike, denying Argentina the chance to win back-to-back titles. Just after the final whistle, Messi sat on the pitch in disbelief, while Yamal—only 19—walked straight to him and hugged him without any showmanship. The episode gained added context from a viral photo ahead of the final showing Messi holding Yamal as a baby during their Barcelona connection. Messi acknowledged the image days earlier at Fanatics Fest in New York with Tom Brady. Afterward, Yamal celebrated his first World Cup triumph, alongside Nico Williams.