Argentina and Spain play for the World Cup title Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The match kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Fox. What has captured almost as much attention as the final itself is a set of photographs that few people had seen for nearly two decades.
According to Yahoo Sports, the photos come from a December 2007 charity calendar photo shoot organized by Barcelona's foundation and Spanish sports newspaper Diario Sport. The event was an annual tradition in which Barcelona players were photographed with children. A raffle, held in conjunction with UNICEF, decided which families participated. The Yamal family won. They had no idea which player they would meet.
Freelance photographer Joan Monfort told The Associated Press in 2024 that baby Lamine arrived with his mother in the visiting locker room at Camp Nou. There sat a plastic bathtub filled with soapy water. A 20-year-old Messi, described by Monfort as more of an introvert, was unsure how to interact with the infant. Yamal was five months old. Messi was already several years into his professional career, with two league titles and a Champions League to his name.
The photos largely disappeared until two years ago, when Yamal's father posted one on Instagram with the caption identifying it as the beginning of two legends. Then, this week, with the World Cup final matchup set, they exploded online.
Spain midfielder Mikel Merino spoke about seeing the images for the first time. "The first time I saw it, I thought it was AI and that it wasn't even real," Merino said Friday.
Messi addressed the photos directly at Friday's pre-match press conference. He said he has followed Yamal's development at Barcelona closely and holds real affection for the club. He also made clear that on Sunday, good wishes only go so far.
"He is one of the best players in the world right now, so I wish him the best. He's only 19 years old and he has all of his future ahead," Messi said. "That picture, it was crazy. Him as a baby, and now we are facing each other. What a crazy picture. I just wish him the best of luck."
Yamal joined Barcelona's La Masia youth academy seven years after that locker room photo was taken. He is now 19 and one of the central figures in Spain's run to the final. Messi, 38, is playing in what is expected to be his last World Cup.
Messi returned to the subject of Yamal a second time during the press conference, with a nod toward what a Yamal victory would mean beyond the tournament.
"It's crazy. He's one of the best in the world right now, no doubt about it," Messi said. "And I wish him a lot of luck, because what's good for him will also be good for Barcelona."
The two will meet Sunday with the sport's biggest prize on the line.
