When asked if Spain would win the World Cup, Lamine Yamal simply smiled and said 'yes'. The 19-year-old's bold prediction to CBS was typical of a teenager who has become one of the planet's best players. Yet his first World Cup has been surprisingly understated: one goal, no assist, and a tournament that has not quite caught fire. But victory against Argentina in Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey would rewrite that narrative entirely.
Yamal has never lost a competitive match for Spain (27 games) and has started 12 major tournament matches, winning all of them – the longest 100% win rate of any European player in major tournaments when starting. If he scores, he will become only the third teenager to net in a World Cup final, after Pele in 1950 and Kylian Mbappe in 2018. Win the trophy and he joins Pele, Mbappe and Italy's Giuseppe Bergomi as the only teenagers to start and win a final. 'No-one will care whether Lamine has scored lots of goals,' said one Spain fan. 'If he wins the World Cup with Spain, he will be a legend forever.'
“Borja Iglesias calls out Trump; Lamine Yamal aims for legend status in World Cup final vs Argentina.”
But the final also brings an awkward encounter for Spain striker Borja Iglesias. US President Donald Trump, who has not attended any previous World Cup match this summer, is expected to be present and will hand over the trophy. Iglesias has called out Trump for 'struggling with fundamental values', but has vowed to reluctantly shake his hand. 'There's a protocol and a commitment to fulfill out of politeness, even though what my gut tells me to do differs from what I should do,' he said. 'I don't want to go to prison. I hope to greet him at a time when we are all very happy, and that it passes very quickly and I can forget about it.' The striker, who has been used sparingly at the tournament, has a history of speaking out on homophobia and pro-Palestine protests, and criticised former Spanish FA chief Luis Rubiales after his sexual assault conviction.
Meanwhile, standing in Spain's way is Lionel Messi – a player who could have lined up for La Roja. The Barcelona legend, who led Argentina to the 2022 title, is now in line to deliver a second straight World Cup for his nation. For Yamal, the contrast is stark: a chance at immortality, or the regret of a subdued tournament. As one fan put it: 'Not many teenagers get the chance to win a World Cup. This is his chance. He will have regrets if we lose and he hasn't been able to play his best.'