Messi praises Lamine Yamal ahead of World Cup final match
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 18, 2026, 6:40 AM
Last updated Jul 18, 2026
Lionel Messi acknowledged Lamine Yamal as one of the world's best players before the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain on Sunday. The Argentine captain expressed hope that Yamal would be kept subdued during the match. Messi also reflected on their famous photograph from years ago, stating it was surreal to face each other on such a big stage. While praising Yamal's talent, he emphasized Spain’s overall strength as a team and not just reliant on individual players.
- •Messi called Yamal a great player ahead of the final.
- •The World Cup final is set for Sunday.
- •Messi highlighted the strength of Spain as a team.
- •Messi and Yamal share a notable past photo from a charity event.
- 6:40 AMYahoo Sports — Lionel Messi reacts to iconic Lamine Yamal photo before World Cup final: ‘It’s crazy…’
"Lionel Messi has described Lamine Yamal as one of the best players in world football ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final, but the Argentina captain admitted he hopes the Barcelona youngster is kept qu...
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