The photograph was taken in a Barcelona dressing room in late 2007. A 20-year-old Lionel Messi, with a shy smile and a head of untamed curls, held a six-month-old baby in a blue plastic bathtub. Neither of them knew, in that fleeting moment, that the world would one day look back at the image and see the beginning of something extraordinary.
Almost two decades later, that baby, Lamine Yamal, will face Messi in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Sunday in New Jersey, a generational showdown that feels scripted by football’s gods.
Defending champion Argentina secured their place in the title clash with a 2-1 victory over England, setting up a meeting against Spain, the reigning European champions. It will be the first time Messi and Yamal have played against each other, but their story began long before either had kicked a ball on the world’s biggest stage. Spain, meanwhile, thrashed pre-event favourite France 2-0 in the semifinal courtesy of goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro.
The photograph was taken in a Barcelona dressing room in late 2007. A 20-year-old Lionel Messi, with a shy smile and a head of untamed curls, held a six-month-old baby in a blue plastic bathtub. Neither of them knew, in that fleeting moment, that the world would one day look back at the image and see the beginning of something extraordinary.
Almost two decades later, that baby, Lamine Yamal, will face Messi in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on Sunday in New Jersey, a generational showdown that feels scripted by football’s gods.
Defending champion Argentina secured their place in the title clash with a 2-1 victory over England, setting up a meeting against Spain, the reigning European champions. It will be the first time Messi and Yamal have played against each other, but their story began long before either had kicked a ball on the world’s biggest stage. Spain, meanwhile, thrashed pre-event favourite France 2-0 in the semifinal courtesy of goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro.