‘Perfect ending’: FIFA president calls Messi vs Yamal World Cup final ‘a blessing from the football gods’
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is seen before the World Cup semifinal soccer match between France and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) FIFA president Gianni Infantino has described Sunday’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina as a “blessing from the football gods” and called it the perfect end to what he sees as the greatest World Cup in history.Speaking in exclusivity interview with MARCA on the eve of the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium, Infantino said football could not have asked for a bigger opportunity when reigning world champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, took on a Spain side led by teenager Lamine Yamal.For Infantino, the match represents much more than just a battle for the trophy. In his opinion, it is the meeting of football’s greatest icon with a player who many believe could define the next generation of the sport.
“Blessings from the Football Gods”
Infantino didn’t try to hide his excitement as he looked ahead to Sunday’s show.“This final is a blessing from the football gods,” Infantino told BRAND.He pointed to the unique story surrounding Messi and Yamal as one of the defining images of the tournament.“We have Messi, Lamine Yamal and many other exceptional players. It’s unbelievable.”
Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates with his teammates at the end of the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
The FIFA president believes the finalists fully deserved their places after negotiating what he described as an extremely challenging tournament.“They are two of the best teams. They deserved to be in this final and they played exceptionally well.”“It wasn’t easy to get here. There were 48 teams, incredible matches and a very challenging World Cup.” Infantino added: He is considering an expanded competition of 48 teams.
Messi and Yamal are the main representatives of the biggest football scene
While Infantino acknowledged the quality spread between the two teams, he repeatedly returned to the symbolic image of Messi against Yamal.Now the 39-year-old Argentina captain is preparing for the final World Cup match of his extraordinary career. Across the halfway line will be 19-year-old Yamal, widely regarded as one of football’s brightest young stars.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal (19) celebrates at the end of the World Cup soccer quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
For Infantino, this contrast perfectly captures the occasion.“Messi is there, Lamine Yamal is there and there are many other exceptional footballers. But there is also the photo. It is unbelievable.”It is believed to be a reference to the now-viral photo from 2007 of 20-year-old Lionel Messi bathing five-month-old Lamine Yamal in a plastic bathtub at the Camp Nou. The moment was captured during a photoshoot for a charity calendar organized by FC Barcelona and UNICEF and resurfaced in 2024, garnering huge global attention as Yamal rose to prominence.
Soccer star Lionel Messi, 20, helps bathe Lamine Yamal, who was just six months old at the time, during a September 2007 photo shoot in the dressing room of the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
He believes that the match transcends football itself and unites two generations in a single defining moment.
“The World Stops”
Infantino predicted Sunday’s final would attract a huge global audience.“It’s going to be like fireworks. It’s going to be unbelievable. The world is going to stop.”“Three billion people will watch this World Cup end.” he added.The FIFA president also praised the atmosphere of the entire tournament, saying that the scale of the event exceeded even his own expectations.“I imagined it would be big, but not like this. Not on this scale, with this atmosphere, this celebration and this energy.”According to Infantino, supporters from all over the world have turned the competition into a global celebration.“The feeling of happiness is all over the world. Of course when you lose you are sad, but people came from everywhere to celebrate football.”
Why Infantino believes it was the greatest World Cup
Infantino did not hesitate when asked how he would rank the tournament.“The World Cup is absolutely spectacular, unique and incredible.”He continued:“The best players, the best teams, the people, the stadiums are packed and it’s a total celebration.”For the FIFA president, the tournament delivered everything the governing body had hoped for, while also laying the groundwork for future editions.“The world stops and watches. It’s the best in history, past and present, and it also prepares us for the future.”He also highlighted what he described as the peaceful atmosphere created throughout the month-long tournament.“We have had no incidents. People have come from all over the world and everyone is celebrating football.”Infantino concluded by praising both traditional football powerhouses and emerging nations for contributing to the spectacle.“All the champions played, but also new teams and new countries. We saw stories that only football can write and turn into legends.”Before ending the interview, he repeated his assessment in unmistakable words.“It’s the best World Cup ever.”
The tournament was not without controversy
Despite Infantino’s enthusiastic assessment, the 2026 World Cup has also been marred by several high-profile controversies.FIFA faced criticism for a number of refereeing decisions during the tournament, particularly in matches involving defending champions Argentina. Disputed VAR calls and official decisions have given rise to the viral term “VARgentina” on social media, although FIFA’s refereeing department and Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni have consistently rejected suggestions of favoritism and defended the integrity of the competition.Infantino also faced scrutiny of FIFA’s relations with United States President Donald Trump after the governing body overturned the suspension of striker Folarin Balogun following Trump’s public intervention. Human rights organization FairSquare subsequently lodged a complaint with the International Olympic Committee’s Ethics Commission, alleging a breach of political neutrality, while UEFA and the Belgian Football Association were among those criticizing the decision.
President Donald Trump speaks as FIFA President Gianni Infantino listens at a reception at Trump Tower in New York, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Separately, FIFA is also considering a disciplinary report after Argentina’s players displayed a post-match banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” following their semi-final win over England. FIFA confirmed that its independent disciplinary committee is reviewing relevant match reports before deciding whether any further action is warranted under the FIFA Disciplinary Code.However, none of these issues have changed Infantino’s outlook on the tournament.The World Cup Final between Argentina and Spain will be held at the New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey, kick off on Monday 20th July 2026 at 12:30 IST. Infantino remains convinced the competition has produced the perfect ending, with the sport’s greatest champion sharing the podium for the last time with a player many believe could define the future of the tournament.