TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Argentina captain Lionel Messi described the iconic 2007 photograph of himself bathing a baby Lamine Yamal as nothing short of extraordinary. To him, the parallel journeys that brought them to the pitch against each other for the 2026 World Cup final feel utterly surreal.
"The photo is extraordinary; I posed with him when he was just an infant, and the fact that we are now both competing in the World Cup final is truly wild," Messi remarked at the FIFA Fanatics Fest in New York on Friday, July 17, 2026, as reported by ESPN.
The image was originally captured for a charity calendar, a joint initiative between the Sport newspaper and UNICEF at Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium. At the time, Messi was a burgeoning 20-year-old talent, while Yamal was a mere six-month-old infant. In an astonishing twist of fate 19 years later, the two are set to clash on football's grandest stage in the World Cup final.
The 2026 World Cup final will pit Argentina against Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday local time, or early Monday, July 20, 2026, Western Indonesia Time (WIB). This showdown marks the very first encounter between Messi and Yamal at the senior international level.
Messi did not hold back in his praise for the young Spanish winger. He noted that Yamal has blossomed into one of the world's elite footballers, despite being just 19 years of age.
"He is one of the best in the world right now, without a doubt," the Inter Miami forward said. "And I wish him the best of luck because what’s good for him will also be good for Barcelona, [but] we'll try to keep him from playing at his best. Spain has a great team, not just him. We have our own weapons, too."
Messi remains confident that Yamal has an incredibly bright and extensive future ahead. "He's a tremendous player... a global star. He's 19 years old and has his whole career ahead of him. I wish him the best, but we'll give it our all to ensure he doesn't become champion this time," the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner said.
Photographer Joan Monfort, the man behind the lens that day, admitted he never anticipated the image would capture global imagination ahead of the World Cup final.
"This has exploded all over the world, and the fact that the final is in the U.S. has given it the extra push," Monfort remarked. "And now this has culminated with the final between Messi and Yamal. It is better than any film script."
Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino similarly confessed to his sheer disbelief upon first laying eyes on the picture.
"The first time I saw it, I thought it was AI and that it wasn't even real," Merino said. "It's unbelievable that two of the best players to have played the game -- and hopefully Lamine, in the future, will be one of those -- share a picture like that. Hopefully we're going to see a very bright final with those two protagonists at their best, playing and giving all the fans a great spectacle."
Messi is set to participate in his third World Cup final, following his appearances in the 2014 and 2022 tournaments. Over the course of the 2026 campaign, the 39-year-old maestro has netted eight goals and delivered four assists. He currently sits atop the tournament's top scorer chart alongside French captain Kylian Mbappe, who also has eight goals to his name. La Albiceleste now have the golden opportunity to defend their global crown after capturing the title in Qatar back in 2022.
Intriguingly, Argentina and Spain were originally slated to lock horns in the Finalissima showpiece prior to the 2026 World Cup. However, that fixture, initially scheduled to be hosted in Qatar in March, was called off due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Now, their long-awaited, deferred clash will unfold on an infinitely grander stage: the World Cup final itself.
Read: The Story Behind the Viral Photo of Messi Bathing Baby Lamine Yamal
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