“M aybe Lionel Messi has picked up lots of babies, maybe it’s chance, but for those of us who have faith, who believe in something beyond, ‘chance’ is God’s pseudonym when he doesn’t want to sign his name,” reflects Luis de la Fuente. “In life, everything happens for a reason. Sometimes it’s true that the circle isn’t closed, but in my view there’s something else, something … I don’t know, mystical, spiritual.”
This World Cup, a captivating image emerges that prompts contemplation of faith, resonating with de la Fuente’s thoughts. Observing the photograph can inspire agreement; how else can one explain this moment? The image will be revisited often, yet its significance remains elusive.
Photographer Joan Monfort, who immortalized the moment, acknowledges his initial skepticism about destiny but admits a change in perspective following this incident. The photograph features Messi, widely celebrated as the greatest footballer, holding a grinning infant, Lamine Yamal. De la Fuente described Yamal as someone who has been “the beginning of two legends” and in this moment, he too was baptized by Messi.
This Sunday, the two will meet on the illustrious stage of the World Cup final.
The image was captured around Christmas in 2007 while a sports newspaper was assembling a charity calendar for Barcelona and UNICEF, utilizing a studio set up in the away dressing room at Camp Nou. Each player posed with a child, with Ronaldinho representing July and Messi for January. At that time, Yamal was merely four months old, having been entered into the draw by his mother, Sheila. Monfort conceived the idea the night before while bathing his daughter, incorporating a plastic tub and rubber duck. With Sheila’s help, Messi managed to capture a shot he deemed satisfactory.
However, the moment faded into obscurity. Monfort stored the photo away, just another image among countless others, unaware of its potential significance. The photograph resurfaced when Lamine Yamal’s father, Mounir, shared it on social media during Euro 2024, captioning it “What if it’s not actually Lamine?”
How did this come about? How did the randomly selected baby evolve into Lamine Yamal? How had Messi, once a shy 19-year-old, transformed into this global icon? The questions abound—why had no one recognized this sooner? Where had Mounir discovered the photo? Lamine Yamal himself, upon meeting Monfort later, admitted he had no memory of the event; he was merely four months old at the time.
“God willing, I can face him in the final.” Monfort had pondered, thrust into unexpected attention. This concern was valid; it seemed surreal. Mounir’s timing was impeccable; just four days later, Lamine Yamal scored a crucial goal against France, propelling Spain to the Euro 2024 final and marking his arrival on the international scene. Monfort likened it to creation itself, while Mounir later joked that perhaps it was Lamine who had given Messi life.
UNICEF confirmed the authenticity of the moment. By July 2026, the image still sparked discussions. Following Argentina’s victory over England, the absurdity heightened: this portrait was the first featuring the star players of the world’s most significant sporting event, leading Monfort’s phone to ring incessantly.
Recently, Lamine Yamal was shown the photograph. “I’ve grown a little bit … and so has Leo,” While it seemed improbable, if fate had orchestrated this journey thus far, why stop now? So much has transpired; some events had to align perfectly: Spain and Argentina were initially slated to play the Finalissima in March. How much more meaningful that they would meet here instead. Yamal smiled as he reflected on the picture, stating, “Pressure? No, Lamine Yamal said before the semi-final, inviting the world to his 19th birthday, enjoying the spotlight. Earlier this season he had celebrated his goals by performing his own coronation and if he has stopped now, if there have been moments when he has revealed the weight of responsibility, if he has mentioned his “internal abyss”
The next time Yamal appeared alongside Messi was during a public event at Barcelona’s training ground, where he was still quite young, around 11 or 12. By then, Messi had already achieved legendary status. While this moment was intended for fans, Yamal was no longer just a boy from Catalonia; he had risen through the ranks, having been scouted while playing for CF La Torreta in Mataró and subsequently joining La Masia. He recalls his first taste of fame when, at 13, he was recognized as the kid from Barcelona while in the park.
Messi understands this journey well, and their stories share common threads. Messi moved from Argentina to Catalonia at the age of 12, famously signing a contract on a napkin at the Pompeia tennis club. Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal has roots in Morocco through his father and Equatorial Guinea through his mother. Born in Catalonia, he proudly represents Rocafonda’s 08304 postcode whenever he scores. This area has a significant population at risk of poverty, with about 20% of its residents being Moroccan. He played on the gravel plaza of Joan XXIII and had the option to represent Morocco but chose Spain without hesitation. Messi faced a similar decision but ultimately chose Argentina, clinging to a homeland that took time to fully embrace him.
“I would like to be everything that everyone wants me to be,” Lamine Yamal has stated. Notably, he seldom discusses Messi, often providing evasive and formulaic responses. When he does express his thoughts, there is an evident respect and admiration for Messi’s unparalleled talent, yet he does not exhibit the same excitement when discussing Neymar. This may be strategic, as aligning with similar sponsors means one cannot overshadow Messi. Yet there is a simpler reason: Neymar was his idol, the player he most closely identifies with.
In Lamine Yamal’s demeanor, upbringing, and even aspects of his playing style, there is more of Neymar than Messi: the joy, flair, mischief, and sparkle in his eye. “Thing is, people want you to score 100 goals at 16. I would like to as well.” he asserts. At seven, he first witnessed Neymar at Camp Nou; while Messi was present, Neymar’s style captivated him. That was the footballing inspiration for Yamal—a player who bridges the street and the academy. It was Neymar he admired through videos, Neymar he sought to emulate, and Neymar he visited in Brazil last summer.
And yet he finds himself compared to Messi.
No pressure, kid. “I want to follow my own path, that’s all; I have no intention of playing like him or anything like it. There is mutual respect; we both know I don’t want to be Messi,” Lamine Yamal responded before the semi-final, inviting the world to join him in celebrating his upcoming 19th birthday, basking in the limelight. Earlier in the season, he had celebrated his goals with his own coronation gesture. While he has experienced moments revealing the weight of responsibility, including mentioning his “I knew that [comparison] question was coming” he has embraced and owned the pressure. His headband reads “I didn’t like comparing Messi to Maradona, but Messi didn’t make it easy; I don’t like comparing Lamine to Messi but Lamine doesn’t make it easy either,” Above all, he has met the challenge.
“There are geniuses, those who are touched by God’s wand and there are few of those: Lamine or Messi.” he remarked in the spring. “The only place where three men can’t mark you is in the middle and I will end up there: they can’t defend me there,” He has already netted over 50 goals and is recognized as Barcelona’s youngest debutant and their youngest goalscorer, a record previously held by Messi. “There is a new generation of players that’s very good and has many years ahead,” he told CBS, acknowledging: “If I had to choose one, it would be Lamine. Without doubt, he’s the best.” Yet echoes of Messi linger in his play.
When Lamine Yamal scores, it often resembles a goal once scored by Messi. “If we meet on the pitch there will be mutual respect because for me he is the best in history.” noted Jorge Valdano, a former Argentina international. Xavi Hernández, who provided Lamine Yamal with his Barcelona debut, also wished to avoid comparisons yet found them inevitable. De la Fuente stated, “There are geniuses, those who are touched by God’s wand, and there are few of those: Lamine or Messi.” Yamal scored his first World Cup goal at 18, wearing number 19—exactly the same age and number Messi had when he achieved the same feat.
As the future unfolds, Lamine Yamal recently expressed in an enlightening interview with El País that like Messi, he too often faces the challenge of being marked by three defenders. He confidently asserted he will find his way to the middle, where “three men can’t mark you,” indicating his anticipated evolution on the field.
Messi will turn 40 in June 2027, and Lamine Yamal has already claimed he does not envision playing at that age. That moment lies far ahead, and only time will reveal what he might think then. What has transpired in the past has occurred at a rapid pace, even quicker than Messi’s own ascent. One cannot help but indulge in fantasies, pondering where this journey might lead him and whether this era will be his. There was a time when Spaniards speculated about what could have been if Messi had chosen Spain; now they wonder if they may actually have him, albeit waiting for the day Messi retires. Until that time, Messi has demonstrated throughout this tournament that no one can compare.
Lamine Yamal, compared by De la Fuente to Michelangelo or Salvador Dalí, has amassed 151 appearances for Barcelona and secured three league titles. This achievement seems improbable. At his age, Messi had only played 34 matches and scored nine goals. Yamal has already won a European Championship with his national team, a feat accomplished just after turning 17, while Messi took until he was 34 to clinch an international trophy with Argentina, but he has not looked back since. The 2022 World Cup was expected to be Messi’s last, a man driven by a mission, crafting the greatest narrative ever told. Yet here he is again, with the tale growing ever more grand: this is his third World Cup final, and he aims for a fourth international title in succession, at an age when many would have chosen to step away.
Now, Yamal stands before him, already a winner at the beginning of his journey: a symbolic passing of the torch from Messi, albeit momentarily. “There is a new generation of players that’s very good and has many years ahead,” Messi remarked, adding, “If I had to choose one, it would be Lamine. Without a doubt, he’s the best.” Yamal responded, “If we meet on the pitch, there will be mutual respect because for me, he is the best in history.” On Sunday, for the first time and likely the last, in the most global of cities, they will face off in the World Cup final. The symbolism is profound. How does one explain the seemingly impossible?
Spain will compete against Argentina, the European champions confronting the South American champions. Lionel Messi versus Lamine Yamal. The 19-year-old, making his World Cup debut, at the age Messi was during their first meeting, against the 39-year-old, likely participating in his final tournament. The boy who once marked a generation now stands as a father, facing the youth expected to usher in the next era; this is the boy entrusted with Messi’s No. 10, just as Messi was bestowed with Maradona’s. The boy in the bath, once unknown, now an icon, will share the field with the legend.
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