Lamine Yamal names Lionel Messi best player of 2026 World Cup

Lamine Yamal has expressed his admiration for Lionel Messi, naming him the best player of the 2026 World Cup. Despite the tournament's official best player award going to Rodri, Yamal argued that Messi's performance was legendary.

Speaking on the Movistar program ‘Universo Valdano’, the 19-year-old Barcelona and Spain star emphasized that Messi was the decisive factor for Argentina, leading them to the final. Yamal noted that while Argentina possesses talented players, Messi was consistently present during critical moments. He remarked that no one expected a player of Messi's age to perform at such an elite level during the tournament.

Yamal's comments come during a highly successful period for the young player, who recently secured consecutive La Liga titles with Barcelona and a World Cup victory with the Spanish national team.