FC Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal has declared that no player performed better than Lionel Messi at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while expressing deep appreciation to the Argentine icon for offering personal support following a challenging night at the Ballon d’Or gala.
Speaking on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, the 19-year-old winger praised Messi’s tournament performance in North America and revealed details of a encouraging telephone conversation with the former Barcelona captain.
Reflecting on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which concluded on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with Spain defeating Argentina 1–0 in the final, Yamal offered an unequivocal assessment of Messi’s individual performance throughout the tournament.
Despite Argentina finishing as runners-up, Yamal asserted that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner set the standard for excellence, stating publicly that no player in the world surpassed Messi’s level of play on football’s biggest stage.
Yamal’s comments followed Monday evening’s 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, where the Spanish international placed third in global voting behind winner Harry Kane of Bayern Munich and runner-up Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid.
In the aftermath of the event, Messi reached out directly via phone to check on the teenager’s well-being. Yamal expressed profound gratitude for the gesture, noting that Messi’s words provided immense comfort during a difficult evening and reinforcing his deep respect for the legend.
The exchange highlights Messi’s ongoing mentorship of Barcelona’s emerging talent as Yamal continues his domestic and European campaigns at Camp Nou.
