Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has described Lionel Messi as the best player of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite Argentina finishing as runners-up.
Yamal made the remark in a Facebook post on Tuesday, where he stated that no player outperformed the Argentine at the tournament.
“No player was better than Messi in the 2026 FIFA World Cup!” the Spain international wrote.
In a separate post, the 19 year old thanked Messi for reaching out to him personally after what he described as a difficult night.
“Thank you for calling me, checking on me, and giving me your support. Your words meant a lot to me, especially after a difficult night. I truly appreciate it, Leo. Much love and respect!” Yamal said.
His comments came a day after he finished third in the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings in London, behind winner Harry Kane and runner-up Kylian Mbappe. Messi finished fifth.
Yamal did not directly link his “difficult night” reference to the Ballon d’Or outcome, nor did he confirm if the award triggered Messi’s call.
Messi, 39, had an impressive final World Cup run, scoring eight goals and four assists before announcing his retirement from international football. Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final.
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