FIFA World Cup 2026: Lamine, Messi and passing of the baton

CHENNAI: Lamine Yamal walked towards a tearful Lionel Messi with open arms. One embraced the World Cup for the first time. The other was quietly coming to terms with the end of what could have been the greatest chapter.

It was more than just a consoling moment; it felt like it was football’s own change of guard, miles away from Buckingham Palace in London. For nearly two decades, the sport in Spain had adapted heavily to Barcelona’s tiki-taka style perfected by Messi. But on Monday, it felt like no matter who you are or how glorious your reign was, it is inevitable that time will fade it all away.

Messi tried. Every touch carried the weight of hope. Every drop of the shoulder hinted at one final moment of magic. But Spain never allowed him the rhythm that once defined his career. The Spaniards closed the spaces, controlled possession, and dictated the tempo, leaving the 39-year-old searching for answers that simply weren't there.

When the final whistle blew, Messi stood motionless before slowly walking away, his dream of World Cup defence slipping into history. One by one, Spanish players walked over to embrace the man they idolised growing up.
Perhaps the night's greatest irony lay elsewhere. The footballing philosophy that shaped Messi into the player he became, has now produced a Spanish side capable of defeating one of La Masia's greatest graduates. It wasn't just Spain lifting the trophy; it was an entire footballing cycle coming full circle.

Perhaps, that’s where the magic of the sport lies, not in the numbers but in the details. Lamine replaced Messi as Barcelona’s talisman, and now is slowly building himself as a footballer who may well be revered as much as Messi himself.