Former Germany captain and legendary goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has dismissed suggestions that the FIFA World Cup 2026 final is a showdown between Lionel Messi and Spain’s teenage star Lamine Yamal, saying the two are at completely different stages of their careers.
Defending champions Argentina will face Spain in New York on Sunday, with Lionel Scaloni’s side chasing a fourth World Cup title and a second consecutive triumph. However, Kahn believes the focus should not be reduced to an individual battle between Messi and Yamal.
“There’s no rivalry and no duel between these two guys because there’s one player who is 40 and the other one is 19 (years-old). Messi is the big role model of Yamal, both are very interesting (and they) both come from the same academy,” Kahn, a member of the Zee 5 expert panel on the World Cup, told reporters.
‘Messi Is Yamal’s Role Model’
Kahn said Yamal has looked up to Messi for years and is now living a dream by sharing football’s biggest stage with his idol.
“Yamal is admiring him for years and wants to be the same like him. It’s a very, very special situation for the young guy.”
The German great also highlighted the enormous expectations on the 19-year-old, who is on the verge of adding a World Cup title to the European Championship he won two years ago.
“He won the Euros two years ago and now he has the chance to win the World Cup. For a 19-year-old guy, on one hand, yes, it’s huge, but on the other hand, he has to handle that in his life and for the future and all that’s coming on him. That’s not easy.”
Kahn Believes Yamal Can Reach Another Level
While praising Yamal’s performances throughout the tournament, Kahn believes the Barcelona winger has even greater potential to unlock.
According to him, Yamal enjoys more freedom at club level, whereas Spain’s tactical structure requires him to play a more disciplined role.
“He has played very well this tournament, but he can play much better. In Barcelona, (it) is a little bit different. He (has) had a little bit more freedom, and maybe in the Spain system, he feels a little bit constrained. He has to fulfil a special role. But that’s what he has to work on in the next years.”
Kahn added that earning greater tactical freedom within the national team setup will come with experience and maturity.
“… because if he’s playing for the national team, there are big guys like Rodri and he has to be respected and he has to show that he has earned this freedom.”
‘Messi Has an Aura That Intimidates Goalkeepers’
Drawing on his own experience as one of football’s greatest goalkeepers, Kahn described the psychological impact Messi has on opponents in one-on-one situations.
“If he has a chance, mostly it’s a goal. If you see Messi in front of you as a goalkeeper, I think it was the same when some players see me as a goalkeeper. There is this kind of aura, this kind of respect. If Messi is in front of you, your chances are really, really small.”
Spain Have Evolved Beyond Tiki-Taka
Kahn also praised Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente for modernising the national team’s style of play.
He said Spain have successfully moved beyond the possession-heavy “tiki-taka” football that defined their golden generation, adopting a more direct and attacking approach.
“It’s better to come slowly into a tournament, to get better and better game to game – and that’s what Spain did.”
“… permanently relying on their system, on their organisation, on their tactical scheme. For me, which is the big difference today – if you compare Spain to 10 or 15 years ago; it’s not the tiki-taka football, which is partly a little bit boring.”
Kahn credited De la Fuente with making Spain more vertical in attack while also integrating a traditional centre-forward.
“It’s always (about) building a lot of width on the field. De la Fuente further developed this, he refined the game. It’s more vertical, it’s more attacking and very important (fact is that) they integrated a number nine with (Mikel) Oyarzabal, a player which was missing in Spain.”
Argentina’s Mentality Sets Them Apart
Kahn also praised Argentina’s mentality, saying their success is built not only on tactics but also on the winning mindset of the players.
“Look at the Argentinian team, they are not thinking too much about tactic. Yes, they have a clear plan, everyone has his role and everyone knows what to do.”
He argued that modern football rewards teams capable of balancing tactical organisation with attacking intent, while criticising overly defensive approaches.
“But at the end, you need players with a great mentality in your tactical system. This World Cup has shown that with a pure defence game, you will not earn a lot in modern football.”
“All teams, also the smaller countries, have their abilities to play partly offensive. And what happens if you only play too defensive? That’s what we saw when England tried only to play with two lines in their own penalty box. I don’t understand it today why that happens,” he added.