A photograph taken in 2007 gained prominence once again on the eve of the 2026 World Cup final. The reason is curious: the image brings together Lionel Messi, then 20 years old, and Lamine Yamal, who at the time was just a baby just a few months old. Almost two decades later, the two will be face to face in the decision between Argentina and Spain, transforming the old record into a kind of "prophecy" for football fans.
Iconic photo of Messi and Yamal reveals World Cup final prophecy; look
A photograph taken in 2007 gained prominence once again on the eve of the 2026 World Cup final. The reason is curious: the image brings together Lionel Messi, then 20 years old, and Lamine Yamal, who at the time was...
The photograph was born during a charity shoot promoted by Barcelona in partnership with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund. In the campaign, club players participated in a solidarity calendar alongside children served by the entity.
In addition to Messi, names like Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry also participated in the action. The children were chosen by lottery, and Lamine Yamal attended the rehearsal accompanied by her mother.
Son of an Equatorial Guinea mother and a Moroccan father, Yamal lived in a suburban neighborhood and, at that time, no one imagined the future that awaited him.
In the famous image, Messi appears holding the baby while bathing in a bathtub. Years later, the young Argentine would establish himself as one of the greatest players in the history of football, while that boy would become the main star of the Spanish national team.
Now, the two are starring in the most symbolic reunion possible: they will compete in the World Cup final this Sunday (19), at 4pm (Brasília time), in New Jersey, in the United States.
Photography came to be seen as a symbol of the passing of generations. Lamine Yamal's own father shared the record on social media with the caption: "The birth of two legends."
While Messi competes in what should be his last World Cup, Yamal is enjoying his first participation in the tournament. Both also wrote their names in Barcelona's history, representing the club's past, present and future in a final that, for many fans, seemed to have been announced by that 2007 image.
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Source: Noticias ao Minuto - Esporte
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