Lee Young-pyo: 19-year-old Yamal 'forcibly dethroned Emperor Messi, crowned himself king'

KBS football commentator Lee Young-pyo said after Spain's victory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America that Lamine Yamal had "forcibly dethroned football emperor Messi and emerged as the new king."

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the tournament final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, at 4 a.m. Monday (Korean Standard Time) to claim the title.

Lee, who provided commentary for KBS 2TV, said after the match that Spain had "completely dominated Argentina from the first whistle, not allowing them a single shot. Spain's victory seems entirely deserved."

He added that "Argentina's fighting spirit and passion were also remarkable."

Lee went on to say that Lamine Yamal — the next-generation standard-bearer who won both the European Championship and the World Cup as a teenager — was set to follow in the footsteps of "football god" Lionel Messi.

Noting that Messi had failed to register a shot on target while Yamal shone for Spain, Lee said Yamal had "forcibly dethroned football emperor Messi and emerged as the new king."

Spain claimed their second World Cup title overall, their first since the 2010 South Africa tournament 16 years ago. They reached the final having scored 14 goals and conceded just one across eight matches, winning seven and drawing one to finish the tournament unbeaten.

Argentina, the defending champions from the 2022 Qatar tournament, had been chasing back-to-back World Cup titles for the first time since Pelé's Brazil won in 1958 and 1962, but had to settle for the runner-up spot. Messi, born in 1987 and widely expected to have been playing his last World Cup, was unable to lift the trophy on what was likely his final stage.

Before the match, singer Jennifer Hudson performed the United States national anthem, and actor Tom Cruise appeared as a special guest. Jung Ho-yeon, the actor known for the Netflix series "Squid Game," served as the World Cup trophy bearer. BTS performed "Dynamite" during the halftime show, with Madonna, Justin Bieber and Shakira also taking the stage.