Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Cameras captured the moment of a hug that has gone viral between Argentina legend Lionel Messi and Spain’s young star Lamine Yamal during the 2026 World Cup final, which La Roja won on Sunday with an unanswered goal.
Hours after winning the title with Spain, Lamine Yamal has revealed the words he exchanged with Lionel Messi in one of the most iconic moments of the final.
After the final whistle, Lamine Yamal briefly left Spain’s celebrations and immediately went in search of Lionel Messi, who remained on the pitch trying to absorb the defeat. The two players shook hands and shared an emotional hug that quickly went viral on social media.
The young Spanish striker explained that he approached the captain of the Argentina national team to show his respect and support during one of the most painful moments of his career.
“I just told him, ‘I’m sorry,'” Yamal said as he recalled the brief conversation with the player, who he has repeatedly described as his ideal and role model, according to the website. beIN sports network.
Also read: ‘Dirty Tricks’… global outrage at Argentina’s failure
Also read: Rodri and Real Madrid… the ball is in Perez’s court
The Spain forward also said Messi congratulated him on winning the title and performing throughout the tournament, turning the brief conversation into a show of respect between two players at completely different stages in their careers.
