Lamine Yamal on Lionel Messi after Spain’s FIFA World Cup triumph over Argentina.
🗣️ Lamine Yamal: “Tonight I lifted the World Cup for Spain, but I also experienced something I’ll tell my children one day. The man who once held me as a baby was standing on the other side of the pitch, fighting for the same dream. Football has a beautiful way of bringing stories full circle.”
“When I looked at Messi after the final whistle, I didn’t just see an opponent. I saw the player who made millions of kids, including me, believe football could be art. I saw the man whose videos I watched over and over, trying to copy things that nobody else could do.”
“I know this defeat will hurt him. You don’t play with that much passion, carry your country again and again, and lose a World Cup final without feeling pain. Even in defeat, he kept demanding the ball, creating chances and refusing to stop believing. That’s what champions do.”
“People will talk about Spain winning this World Cup, and they should. But they’ll also remember that, at an age when most legends have already retired, Messi was still making the world’s best defenders panic every time he touched the ball. That’s extraordinary.”
“The photo of Messi bathing me became one of football’s most iconic images. Today we took another picture together, but this time I could thank him face to face. Without players like him, kids like me wouldn’t dare dream this big.”
“One day another generation will replace mine too. That’s football. But there will never be another Lionel Messi. Records can be broken and trophies can be won, but inspiring an entire generation to fall in love with the game is something only a few people in history will ever achieve.”
“Tonight belongs to Spain. Tomorrow, the debates will continue. But my respect for Lionel Messi will never change. He didn’t need to win this final to prove who he is. For me, he’ll always be one of the greatest players football has ever seen, and sharing the pitch with him was a privilege I’ll carry for the rest of my life.”
Que te voy a decir ídolo, nos hiciste creer a todos que era posible una vez más. Con 39 años fuiste el mejor jugador de la Copa del Mundo. Nos diste todo, nos hiciste volver a ilusionarnos y nos diste lo mejor durante 20 años. Si este fue el último baile, gracias por todo Lionel.
🇪🇸 Rodri for Spain this World Cup:
⚽️ 0 goals
🎯 0 assists
✅ Golden Ball
🇦🇷 Messi for Argentina this World Cup:
⚽️ 8 goals
🎯 4 assists
❌ Golden Ball
Was Messi robbed!? 👀
🚨 Zlatan Ibrahimović on Lionel Messi not winning the World Cup Golden Ball:
🗣️: “What else did Messi have to do to win it? I genuinely don’t understand the criteria anymore. If you look back at 2018, Luka Modrić won the Golden Ball without winning the World Cup. So what changed now?
“Messi carried Argentina throughout the tournament, delivered when it mattered most, and was once again the player everyone feared. If that wasn’t enough, then tell me what is.
“It feels like the standards are always different when it comes to Messi. Every other player gets judged one way, but with him, people suddenly move the goalposts. It’s always against Messi.
“I’m happy for Rodri, but from a football perspective, I don’t think anyone had a stronger case than Messi.”
¿Cómo vas a querer burlarte de un futbolista que ya logró ser campeón del mundo marcando doblete en la final? ¿Cómo vas a señalar a un jugador que fue capaz de registrar 8 goles y 4 asistencias en 8 partidos en su último baile mundialista teniendo 39 años de edad? ¿Cómo vas a cuestionar al único hombre que ha logrado ser múltiple ganador del Balón de Oro del torneo más grande que existe? ¿Cómo vas a poner en duda a una leyenda que se está despidiendo siendo el jugador que con más contribuciones de gol (33) en toda la historia del torneo más grande que existe?
A Lionel Messi no hay absolutamente nada que reprocharle. A este genio, al mejor futbolista de todos los tiempos, solo queda decirle: GRACIAS. Gracias por tus funciones. Gracias por dejarte absolutamente todo incluso cuando ya no tenías nada que demostrar. Y gracias por permitirnos disfrutar como nunca antes. Hoy, a pesar de que el sueño del bicampeonato no se consiguió, nada cambia.
El rey es uno solo.
Y todos sabemos quién es.
Messi. SIEMPRE MESSI.
Terminaron las funciones mundialistas del mejor jugador de toda la historia. Las Copas del Mundo no serán lo mismo sin ti, Lionel. Los Mundiales te extrañarán toda la vida. GRACIAS ETERNAS.