One of the most iconic moments of the media day ahead of the World Cup final in New York, held this Friday (17th) during Fanatics Fest, was the meeting between two of the greatest players in the history of their respective sports. Called up to the stage at the packed event in Manhattan, Tom Brady drew applause and directed a question to Messi, who this Sunday (19th) will fight for his second world title.
The NFL star asked the Argentine number 10 about the iconic photo with Lamine Yamal. The "prophetic" image shows Messi bathing the then Spanish baby, who would soon become Barcelona and Spain's main hope.
Amid chants of "Visca, Barca!", Messi praised the Catalan club where he is the ultimate idol and highlighted the importance of Yamal, whom he called one of the best players in the world.
Lionel Messi on the famous photo with Lamine Yamal:
— AfroBallers (@afroballers) July 19, 2026
“It’s crazy that we’re facing each other after that photo was taken when he was a baby.” pic.twitter.com/PVgFAcVe4j
Amid the chants of "Visca, Barca!" that echoed through the Javits Center, Messi praised the Catalan club where he is their greatest idol and pointed out the importance of the young opponent, whom he called one of the best players of today.
"Barca is a wonderful club, which I follow closely because I love it and always wish it the best," said Messi.
"He (Lamine) is now one of the most important figures in world football and, at just 19 years old, has his whole career ahead of him. He has a great opportunity to achieve something historic on Sunday, and we will do our best to make sure that doesn't happen this time. But in the end, I just want to wish him the best."
From @TheAthleticFC: These two are about to face one another in the 2026 World Cup final.
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 16, 2026
In 2007, the photographer Joan Monfort took a photo of a 20-year-old Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, who was 5 months old. On Sunday, they meet again. https://t.co/UR77LWbfpb pic.twitter.com/caS4Zhl0NV
Commenting on the famous photograph, the Argentine star smiled at the weight of destiny.
"I really enjoyed seeing that photo again; it's amazing how life works. I took a picture with him when he was just a baby and now we're both competing in a World Cup," he said.
"Honestly, it seems crazy, but he's already one of the best in the world, no doubt. I wish him luck, especially because what's good for him is also good for Barcelona."
Messi finished by looking ahead to the tactical battle against the in-form Spanish team, adopting a tone of absolute respect and putting the favorites tag on the rival.
"We'll try to play a good game so that he (Lamine) can't perform at his best. We know it will be tough. Both he and Spain are very strong. They have fantastic players and play incredible football," concluded the Argentine captain.
The big final between Spain and Argentina takes place on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, promising to bring the football world to a standstill.
