FIFA Men's World Cup

Lamine Yamal Reaches World Cup Final At 19. How Old Were Pelé, Maradona, Messi?

14 Jul 2026, 21:37 · FOX Sports

If Lamine Yamal wins the World Cup on Sunday, he legally wouldn't be allowed to partake in any celebratory champagne with Spain teammates in the United States.

At the age of 19, Yamal will be playing in a World Cup final after helping La Roja defeat France in Tuesday's semifinal. How does his age compare to previous legends who also played in the final? Let's take a look:

Pelé | Brazil

(Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Pelé was 17 years and 249 days when he helped Brazil win its first World Cup in 1958. Pelé had burst onto the international scene at the tournament in Sweden, scoring six goals in all – including in the final over co-hosts. Pelé remains the youngest goalscorer in a World Cup final. Of course, his status only grew as he led Brazil to titles in 1962 and 1970.

Diego Maradona | Argentina

(Photo by Archivo El Grafico/Getty Images)

Maradona was 25 years old when he and Argentina won the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. But he could have joined Pelé as another 17-year-old champion had he been selected to Argentina's squad in 1978. Despite already being a teen phenom, he was left of that squad by then-coach César Luis Menotti who felt the youngster wouldn't be able to handle the pressures of a home tournament. Good thing it worked out in the end.

Ronaldo | Brazil

(Photo by Stewart Kendall/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Another Brazilian legend, another World Cup champion before the age of 18. Although Ronaldo didn't actually play at the 1994 World Cup, he was part of the squad that won it all at the Rose Bowl. At the age of 17 years and 298 days, Ronaldo was just two months older than when Pelé got his first in 1958. After losing the final in 1998 to hosts France, Ronaldo would win his second career title in 2002 by beating Germany.

Kylian Mbappé | France

(Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

Mbappé burst onto the scene at the 2018 World Cup for France and instantly became a global phenom. At 19 years and 207 days old, he helped Les Bleus lift its second World Cup ever. He made history during that match against Croatia by scoring France's fourth goal, becoming only the second teenager in history to score in a World Cup final, joining Pelé's performance in 1958.

Lionel Messi | Argentina

(Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

When compared to other players on this list, Messi was a late bloomer when it came to playing in the World Cup final. He was 27 years old when he and Argentina fell to Germany in the 2014 final in Brazil. Of course, Messi finally helped Argentina get over its World Cup drought by winning the 2022 title at age 35.

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