Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal hug it out after botched World Cup final: see photos

Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal embraced warmly after the final whistle of the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, fittingly ending a match that symbolized the passing of the torch between two generations of soccer stars.

Spain beat defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time, substitute Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 97th minute off a rebound. The European champions lifted their second World Cup title after an exciting and hard-fought match.

Argentina’s task became even more difficult after Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a second bookable offense in stoppage time. Lionel Scaloni’s side struggled to create chances, failing to register a single shot on or off target until the 115th minute.

Spain vs Argentina, World Cup Final: Highlighting

After the final whistle, Messi and Yamal embraced on the pitch and shared a brief conversation, a moment that quickly resonated with fans given their famous connection dating back to the iconic UNICEF photo shoot in 2007. At 39, Messi became only the second player to appear in three World Cup finals, while Yamal celebrated lifting the trophy aged just 19.

SEE PHOTOS BELOW

Both Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal went through Barcelona’s La Masia academy. (Image: Reuters) Lionel Messi was devastated when Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final. (Image: Reuters) Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal embrace after the World Cup final. (Image: Reuters)

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

20 Jul 2026 03:57 IST