Lamine Yamal revealed that Lionel Messi's advice after Spain's World Cup final victory over Argentina was as meaningful to him as his winner's medal.

"He told me to keep going my way and that the future belongs to our generation," Yamal, 19, shared. Messi, 39, who captained Argentina to their 2022 World Cup title, is a player Yamal has long admired.

Messi, who had an exceptional tournament with eight goals and four assists, praised Yamal before the final, calling him a "tremendous player" and a "global star" with his entire career ahead of him. Yamal, who inherited Messi's iconic Barcelona No. 10 shirt, expressed his respect for the Argentinian legend, whom he considers "the best in the history."