Colombia Did Not Win the World Cup but Lamine Yamal Came to Medellín to Celebrate and Colombians Could Not Be Happier About It

Colombia Did Not Win the World Cup but Lamine Yamal Came to Medellín to Celebrate and Colombians Could Not Be Happier About It
Credit: TikTok

Lamine Yamal lifted the 2026 World Cup trophy with Spain at 19 years old and headed straight to Medellín for his vacation. The young FC Barcelona star made his way to Comuna 13 and ended up singing Colombian music in the streets alongside Ryan Castro and streamer Westcol in front of hundreds of people who had gathered to see him.

The visit came during Yamal’s break before returning to FC Barcelona, and his presence in the city did not go unnoticed. He toured different parts of Medellín before making his way to Comuna 13, where Ryan Castro was filming a DJ set in front of a crowd that had gathered knowing Yamal might appear.

What Happened in Comuna 13

Yamal sang “El Ritmo que nos une,” a song with particular resonance in Colombian fútbol culture, alongside the crowd and the artists present. The images showed him relaxed, following the beat and engaged with the music and the people around him in a way that felt genuinely spontaneous. He thanked Ryan Castro publicly, describing it as a pleasure to be there and acknowledging the warmth he had received from Colombians throughout his time in the country.

@juanjo_guerrero14

Lamine Yamal cantando ‘El Ritmo que nos une’ de Ryan Castro junto a Westcol en Medellín 👀👀👀 Es más colombiano que la bandeja paisa! #lamineyamal #ryancastro #westcol #seleccioncolombia

♬ sonido original – Juan José Guerrero

Ryan Castro used the occasion to announce his new song “Mentira,” a track about heartbreak that was officially released on August 6th and filmed across the rooftops and streets of the Pedregal neighborhood. Castro celebrated having the world champion present at what was already a meaningful moment in his own career.

Yamal also posted a video on his official TikTok account wearing a Colombia national team jacket and shirt with his name on the back, dancing and singing to “Vitamina” by Colombian artist DFZM, making clear that his engagement with Colombian culture during the trip was enthusiastic rather than performative.

The World Cup Champion Who Was Once a Baby in a Photo With Messi

Spain won the 2026 World Cup with Yamal playing a central role at 19 years old, becoming one of the defining players of the tournament. Spain defeated Argentina in the final, which produced one of the most talked-about images of the entire competition: Yamal embracing Lionel Messi on the pitch after the final whistle.

The embrace gained an additional dimension when people remembered that a photograph exists of a very young Messi holding Yamal as a baby, years before either of them could have known what their futures held. The image of the two of them meeting again on the pitch of a World Cup final, this time as opponents, with Yamal on the winning side, gave the moment a narrative arc that felt almost impossible to script. Messi had his own extraordinary tournament, but it was the young Spaniard who lifted the trophy, and the contrast between the two photographs, separated by nearly two decades, captured something about the passage of time in fútbol that resonated across the world.

Why Yamal’s Trip to Colombia Matters

Lamine Yamal is Spanish, born in Catalonia, with a father from Equatorial Guinea and a mother from Morocco. He does not have Colombian roots, but his decision to spend his post-World Cup vacation in Medellín, visit Comuna 13, sing Colombian music in the streets and post videos of himself in a Colombia jersey says something about who he is at 19. He is someone comfortable in spaces far removed from the controlled environments of elite fútbol, unbothered by being caught on camera doing something unscripted.

The reaction in Colombia has been warm, partly because of the fútbol, partly because of the music and partly because a world champion choosing to spend his free time in Medellín rather than a more predictable celebrity destination carries its own meaning for a city that has worked hard to reshape its international image over the past two decades. Ryan Castro and Westcol gave him a genuine experience of the city rather than a curated tour, and Yamal responded by showing up fully, singing the songs and wearing the jersey.

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