Argentina star Lionel Messi spoke about his chance encounter with Spanish player Lamine Yamal at a charity photo shoot nearly two decades ago. The two opponents are set to face each other in the World Cup finale.
Messi, speaking in Spanish to reporters on Friday, expressed his admiration for Yamal's skills, saying "Lamine 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." The two players met at a 2007 UNICEF charity drive in Barcelona, where Yamal's family won a photo shoot with Messi.
The charity photos, taken by Spanish photographer Joan Monfort, show Messi holding Yamal as a toddler in his arms. Monfort had seemingly forgotten about the photo shoot until Yamal's father posted one on social media during the 2024 European Championship.
Years later, the two nearly crossed paths again in Barcelona, but fate didn't intervene. Messi left Barcelona in August 2021 to join Paris Saint-Germain, while Yamal played his first senior game for the Catalan giants in April 2023.
On Sunday, Yamal and his 'La Roja' side defeated Messi and Argentina in a 1-0 extra-time victory, winning Spain's first World Cup title since 2010.
