Yamal vs Messi, 18 vs 39 — The World Cup Final Is a Passing of the Torch
There is a famous photograph of Lamine Yamal as a small child, being held by his father in Argentina's dressing room after a Copa América match. The man next to them is Lionel Messi. Yamal was three years old. On Sunday at MetLife Stadium, they will face each other in the World Cup Final, Yamal as the beating creative heart of Spain, Messi as the architect of Argentina's miracle run at 39. The most narratively perfect sporting event imaginable.
Yamal has been Spain's most important player at this tournament. Seven goals and four assists across eight matches. The penalty that opened the scoring against France was drawn by Yamal. The goal that would have made it 3-0 against France was Yamal's and ruled offside by inches. He is 18 years old and already the most discussed wide player at a World Cup since Ronaldo in 1998. At Barcelona, they already talk about him as the inheritor of Messi's mantle.
And yet on Sunday, the mantle's previous owner will try to take it back one more time. Messi, 8 goals, 5 assists, two match-winning moments against England tonight. The idea that Yamal is already the best version of what Messi was is exactly the kind of idea that Messi himself will spend 90 minutes refuting on Sunday.
They will not be directly matched up — Yamal plays right for Spain, Messi operates centrally for Argentina. But the narrative frame for this Final is Yamal vs Messi, past vs future, the player Argentina produced giving way to the player he helped create in a club academy system that borrowed everything from the country that made him. Sport rarely writes stories this clean. Enjoy it.