'Keep walking your path': Messi's words to Yamal after World Cup final loss

A heartfelt message from Lionel Messi to Lamine Yamal has resonated deeply with football fans around the world.

Argentina, led by Messi, fell 1-0 to Spain after extra time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Monday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, ending the team's bid for back-to-back World Cup titles.

One of the most memorable moments after the final whistle was a warm embrace between Messi and Yamal. The two players exchanged words of encouragement before sharing a brief private conversation — the contents of which have since come to light.

According to ESPN on Thursday, Yamal revealed what Messi told him that night. "He told me to keep walking my path, and that the future belongs to our generation," Yamal said. He added that the words "mean just as much to me as the World Cup winner's medal around my neck."

Messi is widely regarded as the best active player in the world and one of the greatest in football history. Yamal, 19, emerged as a new global icon of the sport after leading Spain to the title.

The final marked the first official match in which Messi and Yamal faced each other in their respective national team jerseys, despite being former Barcelona teammates from different generations.

Adding to the intrigue, a photo has recently resurfaced showing a 20-year-old Messi bathing a five-month-old Yamal during a UNICEF charity calendar shoot for Barcelona in 2007.

Yamal now wears the No. 10 shirt at Barcelona — the number Messi made iconic during his long tenure at the club.

Before the final, Messi had praised Yamal as "an incredible player and a world-class star," adding that "since he's only 19, I'm even more excited to see what the rest of his career holds."