Argentina captain Lionel Messi has expressed amazement at the prospect of facing Spain’s teenage star, Lamine Yamal, in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, describing the moment as “crazy” because of a photograph taken years ago showing him holding Yamal as a baby.
Speaking during a pre match press conference on Friday, Messi said the image had taken on a new meaning ahead of Sunday’s final, calling the twist of fate remarkable.
“That picture with Lamine is incredible. Now we are facing each other in a final after a photo was taken of us when he was a baby. It’s just crazy,” Messi said, according to ESPN.
The photograph, captured during a charity calendar photoshoot years before Yamal rose to global prominence, has resurfaced on social media ahead of the final, adding an emotional and symbolic dimension to one of the biggest matches in world football.
Argentina and Spain will meet on Sunday in the FIFA World Cup final, with Messi and Yamal set to headline a clash between one of football’s greatest icons and one of its brightest young talents.
