Spain winger Lamine Yamal stopped for a photograph with Declan Rice's son Jude at Wembley Stadium after Spain defeated England 3-2 in the UEFA Nations League.
The 19-year-old Barcelona forward shared the heartwarming moment with the son of the injured Arsenal star after his team-mate Anthony Gordon asked if he could meet the youngster before departing London.
Gordon told Yamal that Rice and his son were waiting at the end of the corridor because Jude wanted a photo with him. Yamal happily obliged and walked over, where Rice took the picture of them himself. Rice then shook Yamal's hand and briefly exchanged words with the Barcelona star before they parted ways.
Yamal had earlier opened the scoring for Spain during the international fixture at Wembley Stadium, the national stadium of England located in London. The World Cup winner and Ballon d'Or contender pounced on a horrendous error by England defender Marc Guehi to give the reigning world champions the lead.
Yamal plays as a winger for Spanish La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national football team. Rice is an English midfielder who plays for Premier League side Arsenal, while Marc Guehi is a defender for Crystal Palace and Anthony Gordon is an English attacking player.
Ballon d'Or ambitions
Following the victory, Yamal publicly backed his claim for a maiden Ballon d'Or victory ahead of the prestigious awards ceremony scheduled to take place in London on October 26.
"Being completely honest, it's not just this year I've been at a Ballon d'Or [winning] level, but longer," Yamal told The Guardian.
"Everyone knows that; they know I am differential," he added. "I think people think: 'Lamine is 19, he'll win it at some point, so let's say someone else...' I just have to win, win, win, and there will be a time when there's no debate."
Yamal acknowledged that public opinion would remain split over his success, stating that there will be people who love him alongside others who complain about him, which he noted was fine.
The Ballon d'Or is an annual football award presented by France Football magazine to honor the top performing player in world football. Yamal is listed among the primary frontrunners to lift the trophy this year, alongside France forward Kylian Mbappe and England captain Harry Kane.
Rivalry with Harry Kane
Kane, who scored 73 goals for club and country last season, is the bookmaker's favourite to win the award next month in London. Kane plays as a striker for German club Bayern Munich, while Mbappe represents Spanish giants Real Madrid.
However, Yamal dismissed his rival's credentials in a thinly-veiled dig during his interview with the newspaper.
"I think the Ballon d'Or should go to the best player in the world, full stop," Yamal said. "Not to a player who has scored 80 goals, because if you score 80 goals, you get the top scorer award for that. Those are two completely different things that people do not understand."
"The best player in the world is the one where, as a commentator, you are following a match and enjoying it: you see him and think: 'That is a player who clearly stands out from all the others,'" Yamal explained.
The Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place in London on October 26, where the winner will be officially announced.
