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Spain’s wizard makes the World Cup happen
The 2026 World Cup was not just a new stop in Lamine Yamal’s career, it was the tournament where he announced himself as an exceptional player who can take on and beat the game’s biggest stars.
At only 19 years old, he not only lifted Spain to the podium, but also passed the three biggest names in the history of football. Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi to exit the tournament as world champions in an achievement that will be difficult to replicate.
While all eyes were on the experienced stars, Yamal was writing the chapters of his own history, proving that the future has already begun and that football has found a new leader who can carry the flag for many years to come.
The golden path… from Ronaldo to Messi
Yamal’s path to glory began in the 1/16 round, when the Spanish national team clashed with its Portuguese counterpart, led by the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo. In a game characterized by tactical superiority, La Roja managed to decide it with an unanswered goal, so Ronaldo bowed out of the tournament and the Spaniard continued his way to the advanced stages with great confidence.
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In the semi-finals, Spain faced a star-studded France team led by Kylian Mbappe, one of the most popular candidates to win the Ballon d’Or.
But the Spanish side produced one of their best matches to claim a deserved 2-0 victory, dismissing Mbappé and deservedly reaching the final, while Yamal continued to put in his standout performances that have made him the talk of the world.
As for the closing scene, it was the most moving. A final that unites the pupil and his teacher, between Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi, the player the Spanish star has always described as his idol and the greatest player in the history of football.
But inside the green rectangle, there was no room for emotion as Spain managed an unanswered goal to give Yamal the World Cup title, while Messi’s World Cup journey ended with defeat in the final.
A historic achievement and the beginning of a new era
Yamal’s achievement didn’t stop at winning the World Cup, but entered one of his widest gates in history when he became the first under-20 player in history to combine European Cup of Nations and World Cup titles, a number that reflects the scale of his talent and the speed with which he established himself among the game’s greats.
The value of this achievement is doubled when you consider the type of opponents he faced en route to the trophy. Dismissing Ronaldo, then Mbappe, and finally beating Messi in the final gives the tournament a unique dimension and makes it one of the most successful editions to see the baton passed between two generations.
Although Yamal didn’t have to carry Spain single-handedly, he was one of the most popular keys to the game and made the difference in many moments thanks to his courage, great confidence and ability to tackle big games as if he were a player with decades of experience.
The question that forces itself after this historic achievement remains. Was the 2026 World Cup a one-off tournament for the Spanish boy, or is it the true start of a new era, with Lamine Yamal carrying the flag for world football, after many years of Messi and Ronaldo dominating the scene? The first indications are that the world may be facing the birth of a new king.
