Lamine Yamal Calls Lionel Messi's World Cup Form 'Incredible' Ahead of Spain's Quarterfinal With Belgium

Spain winger Lamine Yamal said he is thrilled to see Lionel Messi continue defying the passage of time and delivering standout performances at this year's World Cup, praising the 39-year-old Argentine captain just days before Spain's own quarterfinal clash against Belgium.

Messi currently leads the tournament's Golden Boot race with eight goals and delivered another standout showing in Argentina's dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Egypt on Tuesday, a result that carried the defending champions into the quarterfinals. Asked about Messi's continued excellence at this stage of his career, Yamal, 18, did not hold back his admiration in comments to Spanish outlet El Mundo Deportivo. "Incredible," Yamal said. "Everyone knows who Messi is, but no one expected him to be playing at such a high level. I'm really happy for him."

Messi was named the tournament's most valuable player when Argentina ended a 36-year wait for a third World Cup title in Qatar in 2022, and the Inter Miami forward has now scored in nine consecutive World Cup matches dating back to that triumph. Yamal, who inherited Messi's iconic No. 10 shirt at Barcelona last season, has often been compared to the Argentine great as one of the sport's brightest young talents, making his comments about Messi's continued dominance carry particular weight.

Beyond Messi, Yamal also expressed appreciation for two other players who shaped his childhood love of the sport, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whose international careers effectively concluded during this tournament. "I'm happy for Neymar, even though he's no longer here, and for Cristiano [Ronaldo]," Yamal said. "They shaped the childhoods of all of us who are playing now."

Neymar, Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 80 goals, brought his international career to a close following Brazil's Round of 16 exit against Norway on Sunday. The 34-year-old forward had not featured for Brazil since October 2023 due to injuries but returned to the national team for this tournament before Brazil's elimination.

Ronaldo's World Cup career, meanwhile, ended at the hands of Yamal's own Spain squad. Portugal's 1-0 defeat to Spain on Monday marked Ronaldo's final World Cup appearance, closing the book on his pursuit of the one major trophy that had eluded him throughout his career. The Portuguese star exits the tournament as the only player in history to score in six different World Cups, and he remains the all-time leader in both international goals, with 146, and international appearances, with 233.

Reflecting on watching both Neymar and Ronaldo depart the tournament, Yamal offered a gracious sentiment about his childhood idols' broader legacies. "Anything good that happens to them will be good for me," Yamal said. "That said, if I make it to the final, I want to win it."

Yamal's own tournament has been shaped by a recent return from injury. He played all 90 minutes in Spain's win over Portugal, marking his longest stretch of playing time in a single World Cup match so far this tournament, after working his way back to full match fitness following an absence of nearly two months. "I'd been out for almost two months, and it's not the same as when you've played seven games in a row," Yamal said. "I need to keep touching the ball, keep playing, keep racking up minutes, and, obviously, that game will come."

Despite his standing as one of the tournament's most closely watched young stars, Yamal was candid about holding himself to a high standard, acknowledging that he has yet to feel fully satisfied with his own performances so far. "I think I can do better. I'm very hard on myself. I'm not satisfied with what I do," Yamal said. "I've never been the best player in the group stage. I'm not worried about that. I know I have opportunities to prove it." He added that he tends to elevate his game as matches grow more consequential, saying, "The closer the important matches get, the semifinals or the final, the better I play."

A European champion with Spain in 2024, Yamal is now preparing for Friday's quarterfinal against Belgium in Inglewood, California, a match he says he is approaching with confidence and anticipation. "I'm feeling great," Yamal said. "I'm really looking forward to showing what we're capable of as a team and what I'm capable of. I hope the match against Belgium will be a great one for the whole team."

Friday's quarterfinal represents the second match of the tournament's knockout round, following France's clash with Morocco earlier in the week. Spain advanced to this stage after its narrow win over Portugal, while Belgium reached the quarterfinals with a commanding 4-1 victory over co-host United States in the Round of 16, a result that ended the Americans' tournament run and marked the elimination of the last remaining World Cup co-host nation.

With Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar all representing distinct eras and storylines within this year's tournament, Yamal's comments underscore the sense of generational continuity running through the 2026 World Cup, as a new wave of young stars, led by players like Yamal himself, continues to emerge alongside some of the sport's most decorated veterans during what may be a final World Cup appearance for several of the game's biggest names. As Spain prepares to face Belgium, Yamal's own growing influence on the tournament will be closely watched, with his combination of technical ability and competitive maturity positioning him as one of the players most likely to define the remainder of this year's knockout stage.