Not Messi or Ronaldo: Lamine Yamal names the legend he wants to face at the 2026 World Cup final
Lamine Yamal has emerged as one of the brightest young stars not only at FC Barcelona, but also with the Spain national team, which currently sits atop the FIFA rankings and is among the early favorites for the 2026 World Cup. Looking ahead to a hypothetical final, the 18-year-old surprisingly set aside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in favor of another soccer legend as his preferred opponent.
Despite frequent comparisons to Messi due to his La Masia background and profile as a left-footed right winger, Yamal has repeatedly stated that Neymar was his childhood idol. During his vacation in June 2025, the Barcelona star even traveled to Brazil, where he had the opportunity to meet the Brazilian forward in person.
In an interview with TNT Sports Brasil following Barcelona’s Champions League match against Copenhagen on Wednesday, Yamal reflected on his trip to South America: “I liked many things and I’ll definitely be back. I spoke with Neymar to see when we can go again, but overall I enjoyed it a lot.“
The Barça winger also revealed that he spoke with Neymar via FaceTime just days before the Copenhagen match, during which the two made an eye-catching promise. “I told Neymar that if we both made it to the World Cup final, we would go on vacation together,” Yamal admitted.
Although Neymar has yet to return to the Brazil national team following his ACL injury in 2023, both players remain confident not only about his comeback, but also about reaching the tournament’s biggest stage. “So hopefully it’s Spain against Brazil,” concluded Yamal, who celebrated his 2-1 goal against Copenhagen with a tribute to his idol.
With Spain drawn into Group H (alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay) and Brazil placed in Group C (with Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland), the two sides would be positioned on opposite ends of the knockout bracket if they top their groups. That setup would leave the door open for a Spain–Brazil final in the United States, and for Yamal and Neymar to potentially fulfill their promise.
Three finals against the three legends?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have defined the 21st century and are widely considered among the greatest players in the sport’s history, while Neymar has long been viewed as the closest contemporary to their level. At just 18, Yamal could find himself facing all three legends in finals, even as they approach the twilight of their careers.
Yamal has already appeared in a final against Ronaldo, losing the 2025 UEFA Nations League final to Portugal on penalties after a 2–2 draw through extra time. On March 27, the Barcelona prodigy is also set to face Messi for the first time in the Finalissima against Argentina. That leaves a hypothetical World Cup final against Neymar’s Brazil as the final piece, one that would see Yamal face all three icons in championship matches early in his career.