It will not be Norway against France in the World Cup final, but Argentina against Spain. – And with that, some “extra” stories appear.
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What Lamine Yamal said about facing Messi in the World Cup final
Just days ago, football’s biggest young star talked about the viral photo of him as a baby with Messi – and his dream of facing the Argentine in the World Cup final. Now that dream is about to become reality.
It will be a finale that could have been written by Hollywood itself. On July 19, Europe’s champions face the Copa America champions – Spain vs. Argentina – on football’s most sacred stage: the 2026 World Cup final.
Two names will shine brightest of all: Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal. The young FC Barcelona star has recently reminded us all of the history that forever binds them together – the incredible image of a baby Yamal in the arms of a 20-year-old Messi.
Just hours before the final, the photo of a 20-year-old Messi bathing baby Lamine Yamal has gone viral again. For years, many people believed that the image was fake or even AI-generated. In reality, the story behind it is completely authentic—and just as remarkable as the careers both players have built.
“I’ve grown a bit – and so has Leo
Now that Yamal has established himself as one of Spain’s biggest stars, he admits that he has long dreamed of sharing the pitch with the Argentine legend in the world’s most important match.
“I’ve grown a bit, and so has Leo. Hopefully I can meet him in a final – especially since the Finalissima didn’t happen,” Yamal told DAZN as he reacted to the iconic image that has forever linked their destinies.
The coincidences that changed football history
The photo was taken in 2007 during a charity campaign organized by the FC Barcelona Foundation. A 20-year-old Lionel Messi posed with several families who had won a spot through a charity lottery. By an extraordinary coincidence, the superstar from Argentina ended up next to an ordinary family – with a six-month-old Lamine Yamal in her lap.
At that time, no one could have looked into the future. Messi was already a big name, but no one knew that he would become the greatest of all time. And no one could dream that the baby in the picture, barely six months old, would grow up to be one of football’s most promising talents – and one of the few players who can actually inherit the throne.
From baby photo to World Cup final
Years later, when Yamal began making headlines in Barcelona, photography resurfaced. It went viral. The whole world saw it: There were the two of them – Messi on his way to legend status, and the baby who would become his natural heir. In a single picture, the past and the future met.
Now, almost two decades later, fate has brought them back together. But this time, it’s not a photoshoot or a charity event. It’s the World Cup final. The biggest stage of all. The World Cup is at stake.
Two generations. Two icons. One game.
And Lamine Yamal smiles just at the thought of finally standing face to face with the boy who once held him in his arms.
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