Spain's World Cup triumph produced one of the tournament's most emotional moments, as Lamine Yamal comforted Lionel Messi following Argentina's defeat in the final.
Spain were crowned world champions in the early hours of Monday after beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time, taking the title from the defending champions.
For Messi, the match is widely expected to have been his final World Cup appearance. Following the defeat, the Argentine captain remained seated on the turf at MetLife Stadium, reflecting on both the loss and the likely end of his World Cup journey.
Seeing the scene, Yamal approached the 39-year-old star and embraced him in a gesture that many interpreted as a symbolic passing of the torch from one generation to the next.
The image of football's rising star consoling one of the sport's greatest ever players quickly became one of the defining moments of the final.
The way Messi stood up to greet Yamal 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/VTqlzI7kIB
— Sine (@FcbSine) July 20, 2026
