Lionel Messi admits it is going to be “loopy” to face Lamine Yamal in a World Cup ultimate for the primary time 19 years since he was photographed holding the Spanish winger as a child.
Within the early days of Messi’s arrival at Barcelona, he posed alongside Yamal, then 5 months outdated, in a now well-known photograph as a part of a charity photograph shoot organized by UNICEF and Spanish newspaper Sport.
Now, in what can be Messi’s ultimate World Cup match in opposition to Argentina, Yamal will attempt to cease the 39-year-old from lifting soccer’s most iconic trophy once more.
Messi was requested in regards to the photograph at a FIFA occasion in New York forward of Sunday’s match between Argentina and Spain in New Jersey.
“That photograph is unimaginable. The truth that we’re taking part in within the World Cup now could be loopy,” Messi stated.
“He is among the finest gamers on the planet proper now. I want him all one of the best as a result of his success can be Barcelona’s success.”
“We are going to attempt to stop him from taking part in at his finest. Spain has a fantastic workforce in addition to him.
“He is a fantastic participant, a world star. He is 19 years outdated and has his complete profession forward of him.
“We want him one of the best of luck, however we’ll do the whole lot we are able to to verify he doesn’t turn out to be champion this time.”
Magical pictures by @FundacioFCB
The story behind this photograph https://t.co/Nzm1L6Ou3h
Joan Montfort (Diari Sport) pic.twitter.com/ukT4XgyNph
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 16, 2026
If Messi (born June 1987) and Yamal (born July 2007) each begin, it is going to be the primary time in World Cup historical past that the beginning gamers of opposing groups within the ultimate are not less than 20 years aside in age (20 years and 19 days).
Messi is the second oldest participant to look in a World Cup ultimate (39 years and 25 days) after Italian goalkeeper Dino Zoff (40 years and 133 days) in 1982.
Messi, who has scored eight objectives and supplied 4 assists on this event, is in rivalry for each the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards.
Moreover, Messi took probably the most photographs (34) and created probably the most possibilities (25) on the 2026 World Cup. That is the best complete (59) since Diego Maradona in 1986 (29 photographs, 30 created possibilities) and the second of three tournaments gained by Argentina.
Maradona in 1986 can also be the one participant to have taken probably the most photographs and created probably the most possibilities in a single event within the final 60 years, however no participant on report has taken greater than 30 photographs and created greater than 30 possibilities in a single World Cup.
Yamal scored one aim and did not present an help within the group stage match in opposition to Saudi Arabia, however he hasn’t put up related astonishing numbers up to now.
Nonetheless, Yamal ranks joint-first with Messi for the variety of photographs taken per carry (12), with solely Messi and Kylian Mbappé (33) having greater than 23 photographs in complete.
When requested in regards to the photograph, midfielder Mikel Merino, who got here on in its place and scored the profitable aim in Spain’s victory over Portugal and Belgium within the ultimate event, answered, “After I first noticed it, I believed it was an AI, and I additionally thought it wasn’t actual!”
“I am unable to consider that two of one of the best gamers to ever play this sport, and hopefully Lamine can be one among them sooner or later, would share a photograph like that.
“We hope to see a really brilliant ultimate the place these two protagonists will give their finest efficiency and provides a fantastic spectacle to all of the followers.”
