Argentina's head coach Lionel Scaloni jokingly responded to the question of how to stop Spanish winger Lamine Yamal ahead of the 2026 World Cup final.
Scaloni asked journalists: 'Everyone is asking how to stop the Spanish Messi. Now I will ask you: how does Argentina stop Yamal?' The coach, smiling, stated: 'Honestly, I would just like to lock him in a room.'
After this, Scaloni highly praised the 19-year-old footballer. He noted: 'Yamal is a wonderful player. He is a real treasure for football.' Scaloni added that the player is still very young and has a long career ahead of him, and he will bring much joy to Spain.
Nevertheless, the coach expressed hope that such a thing will not happen on Sunday. He concluded that Yamal is one of those players who is very difficult to stop, similar to Messi.
Former Barcelona coach Xavi commented on the comparisons between Catalan attacker Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi. He noted that such comparisons can create excessive pressure on the young footballer.
Xavi acknowledged that there are many similarities between them: both players operate on the right flank, play with their left foot, drift into the center of the field, participate in attack organization, and are capable of making decisive passes. However, in the coach's opinion, placing Yamal on the same level as the greatest footballer in history is not a constructive step, as it only increases the pressure.
Despite this, Xavi believes that Lamine himself does not attach importance to this, striving simply to enjoy the game and the ball. At the same time, he emphasized that Messi serves as a great example for him. Furthermore, Xavi mentioned that Messi himself considered him a worthy successor in one interview.
Nevertheless, Xavi believes they are fundamentally different: Lamine relies more on dribbling, whereas Messi was a goal-oriented player. In his opinion, what unites them is not so much playing style as character. Both players possess strong self-confidence, which sets them apart from others.
Lamine is aware of his uniqueness, which is evident in his actions on the field and his behavior. Like Messi in his youth, he felt like a special footballer. Both are capable of sensing the rhythm of the game and changing the course of a match. Xavi added that Lamine is growing up with Pau Cubarsí, Marc Bernal, Alejandro Balde, and Gavi, and all of them are well aware of his exceptional talents, which is extremely important for the team.
A seminar meeting was held in the Mirishkor district of the Karadarinsk region as part of the 'Dolzarb 90 Kunlik' project with the aim of organizing meaningful summer recreation for youth, effective use of free time, and proper recognition of educational achievements.
At the event, which took place at the 4th general education school, the head of the Mirishkor district, Faizullo Gulomov, and others emphasized that one of the most important tasks is to organize meaningful leisure activities for students during the summer period, increase their intellectual and creative potential, actively involve them in sports and reading, and educate youth in the spirit of patriotism.
During the seminar, key areas were discussed, such as organizing rich summer recreation for students, broad involvement in clubs on sports, science, culture, and art, promoting reading, and expanding spiritual, educational, and sports events in settlements. Furthermore, specific assignments were given to responsible persons regarding the work carried out under the 'Dolzarb 90 Kunlik' project in each educational organization and settlement.
According to Temurbek Jalilov, head of the Department of Preschool and School Education, educating youth, developing their abilities, and organizing meaningful leisure time are among the fundamental tasks of the modern education system. He noted that reforms in the education sector are bearing fruit, as students achieve high results by participating in various competitions and Olympiads.
Temurbek Jalilov added that the 'Dolzarb 90 Kunlik' project serves these goals. According to him, the initiative is aimed at realizing the interests of young people and broadly involving them in useful activities such as sports, art, and reading.
In the traditional part of the event, eight 11th-grade graduates who completed the academic year with high results were presented with gold and silver medals. Among the awardees were graduates of the 10th, 21st, 28th, 36th, and 38th general education schools of the district, who were recognized for high academic success, striving, and exemplary activity.
Zarnigor Ongboeva, the gold medalist from the 28th general education school, shared her impressions after the awards ceremony. She expressed joy at receiving the gold medal, noting that the hard work of her teachers and the constant support of her parents played a big role in achieving this result. She stated her intention to become a qualified specialist who will make a worthy contribution to the development of her country.
In conclusion, it was emphasized that ensuring student safety, organizing meaningful leisure during the summer vacation, and timely and high-quality fulfillment of the tasks set within the 'Dolzarb 90 Kunlik' project remain priority tasks.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic commented on the defeat of the US national team by the Belgian team with a score of 1:4 in the JCH-2026 round of 16. He noted that the USA played against a stronger team, and that Belgium also looked significantly stronger in the documents.
In Ibrahimovic's opinion, this was the worst game for the USA in the tournament, but he emphasized that the team took to the field against a serious opponent. Despite the USA failing to advance to the first stage, Ibrahimovic believes they can be proud of themselves.
He added that the team did not disappoint in other matches of the tournament. Although today's result was poor, overall it turned out to be a good tournament for them, as the team demonstrated its maximum potential. Ibrahimovic concluded that perhaps, with luck, they could have advanced to the next round, but today's game was a learning lesson for them.
