Lamine Yamal's World Cup dream: How other legends started at his age
Lamine Yamal could become a world champion at 19 in 2026. We look back at where other football legends stood at the same age.
Lamine Yamal au milieu d'autres légendes du foot (Pelé, Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Lionel Messi et Kylian Mbappé). (Jakob Kupferman/AP, L'Équipe, Piet van der Klooster/ANP Sport/Presse Sports, Didier Fèvre/L'Équipe, Bruno Fablet/L'Équipe, alain de Martignac/L'Équipe et Richard Martin/L'Équipe) Pelé au duel avec Bengt Gustavsson lors de Brésil-Suède (5-2) en demi-finales de la Coupe du monde 1958. (L'Équipe) Lionel Messi devant Carlos Salcido (à gauche) et Rafael Marquez au cours du huitième de finale remporté contre le Mexique (2-1 a.p.) en 2006. (Didier Fèvre/L'Équipe) Diego Maradona au cours d'un match amical de l'Argentine face aux Pays-Bas (0-0) en 1976. (L'Équipe) Cristiano en 2004, pendant Portugal-Grèce (1-2), premier match de l'Euro 2004. (Didier Fèvre/L'Équipe) Kylian Mbappé en équipe de France des moins de 19 ans en 2016. (Richard Martin/L'Équipe) Johan Cruyff (à droite) lors d'un match contre Israël en 1966. (ANP Sport/Presse Sports) Ronaldo contre le Ghana, en 1996. (Ddiier Fevre/L'Équipe)
Lamine Yamal has the potential to make history if he lifts the World Cup trophy with Spain in 2026. At 19 years and 6 days old, he faces a chance to mirror or surpass the achievements of football's greatest icons. As anticipation grows, it is worth reflecting on the early career paths of other football prodigies.
The benchmark remains Pelé, who won the 1958 World Cup at just 17. Despite being a local star in Brazil, he was largely unknown on the global stage when the tournament began in Sweden. With freedom and support from his teammates, he showcased his genius, scoring decisive goals in the knockout stages to become the only player in history to win three World Cups.
In contrast, Lionel Messi had a different experience in 2006. At 19, he was already established at Barcelona, but at his first World Cup, he was primarily used as a substitute. His debut against Serbia was spectacular, yet in the quarter-final against Germany, coach José Pékerman kept him on the bench, a decision that remains a subject of intense debate among fans today.
Kylian Mbappé enjoyed a more direct path to glory, winning the World Cup in 2018 at 19. He was an indisputable leader in Didier Deschamps' side, scoring four goals, including one in the final. Pelé famously joked that he would have to "dust off his boots" if the young Frenchman continued to match his records.
Football history is filled with diverse stories, from Diego Maradona, who was omitted from the 1978 squad due to his age, to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was just beginning his international career at 19. Each legend forged a unique path to greatness, setting a high standard for Yamal as he prepares for his own World Cup journey.