Spain and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has said that he thanked Lionel Messi for everything he gave to football when the two embraced at the end of the 2026 World Cup final.
Yamal and his Spain teammates had beaten Messi's Argentina with a Ferran Torres goal in extra time. That match was both the end of an era, as Messi left the World Cup stage for the final time, and the beginning of a new one -- as Yamal became a world champion at just 19-years-old, with many years ahead of him yet.
The image of Yamal celebrating the win while Messi sank to the ground appeared to represent a changing of the guard, as Messi gazed at the World Cup trophy one last time, while Yamal held it for the first time.
Messi, 39, has since retired from international football.
In an interview with The Guardian, Yamal has revealed what he said to the Argentine as the two shared a hug after the final whistle.
"I said thank you for everything you gave football. I don't do things to look nice for the photo -- that came from inside," Yamal said.
The Barça winger also opened up about the iconic image of a young Messi giving him a bath as a baby -- a picture that famously went viral as Yamal began to emerge as a star on the rise.
- Barcelona's start to season is best in Europe's top 5 leagues for almost 100 years
- Lamine Yamal rejects goal stats for Ballon d'Or for 'players that make you dream'
- Lamine Yamal says he has experienced racism 'a thousand times'
His father only released the photo two years ago. When asked about why this was, Yamal said: "Because I told him not to. He put it on Facebook once and I told him to take it down.
"Comparisons were too easy, that was all people would talk about. I wanted to be Lamine; I didn't want to be Messi.
"I just wanted to get where I could get. I asked him to wait. When I'm Lamine, do what you want."