Messi and Yamal to clash in FIFA World Cup 2026 final

Lionel Messi, one of the greatest football players in the world, and Lamin Yamal, considered his successor on Barcelona’s right wing, will face each other for the first time as opponents in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Argentina and Spain on Sunday.

Messi is now 39 years old, while Yamal has just turned 19. Despite the significant age difference, their face-off on the world’s biggest football stage is a testament to Messi’s relentless perseverance and Yamal’s extraordinary talent.

However, this is not their first encounter. Social media is currently abuzz with photos from an unusual story that began in 2007.

In 2007, a 20-year-old Messi was solidifying his place in Barcelona’s first team. At that time, Lamin Yamal was just a five-month-old infant.

Photographer Joan Monfort captured that historic moment on his camera. These photos resurfaced in 2024 when Yamal played a crucial role in helping Spain win the Euro 2024 title. At that time, his father posted a picture on Instagram, writing, “The beginning of the journey of two great players.”

In those pictures, a smiling Messi is seen holding, bathing, and affectionately caring for the young Yamal. No one could have imagined that this infant would one day follow in Messi’s footsteps to become another shining star in world football.

Photographer Monfort says, “It’s truly an incredible miracle of fate. Such coincidences are rare in life. Even if this story were written in a movie, many would not believe it.” He adds, “Messi didn’t even know how to hold a baby.”

This photoshoot took place in the dressing room of the visiting team at Barcelona’s then-home ground, Camp Nou. Yamal’s family had arrived there after winning a competition.

His father, Munir Nasraoui (of Moroccan origin), and mother, Sheila Ebana (of Equatorial Guinean origin), had moved to Catalonia with their family during childhood. After Yamal was born, their family was selected for a program jointly organized by the Catalan magazine Sport, Barcelona’s jersey sponsor, and UNICEF. The winning family’s infant was given the opportunity to have photos taken with Barcelona’s first team players. Coincidentally, the player chosen for Yamal was Lionel Messi!

Monfort recalls, “Until a friend called me in 2024 to tell me about the photo posted on Instagram, I had no idea that baby was Yamal.” He adds, “Messi was very shy and calm by nature. When he entered the dressing room, he had to take a photo with a small infant. His face showed that he didn’t even know how to hold the baby.”

“But Yamal was an extremely cheerful and playful infant. His mother Sheila helped us a lot. Their financial situation was quite poor, but the family was extremely humble and helpful.” He added, “Messi was always fully professional even in such programs. He quickly adapted to the situation.”

At that time, Messi wore the number 19 jersey at Barcelona. It was only a year later, after Ronaldinho left the club, that he received the prestigious number 10 jersey.

Achievements at the Age of 19

By the age of 19, Messi had scored 11 goals in his career. He had won La Liga and the UEFA Champions League once each. However, Yamal, who turned 19 only on Monday, has already scored 56 goals. He has won La Liga three times, the Copa del Rey once, and the Euro 2024 title.

‘Yamal’ is not actually a surname; Yamal’s full name is Lamin Yamal Nasraoui Ebana. The ‘Lamin Yamal’ seen on his jersey are his two first names. According to Spanish media, his father named him Lamin and Yamal in honor of two friends who supported the family during financial hardships.

In Arabic, ‘Lamin’ means honest or trustworthy, while ‘Yamal’ means beauty or dignity.

Pride of Rocafonda

Yamal grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Rocafonda in the city of Mataró, about 32 kilometers north of Barcelona. After scoring a goal, he often signals 3-0-4 with his fingers, a tribute to Rocafonda’s postal code (304). During a competition, he told ‘EI Pais’, “What my parents did for me, I can’t do for anyone else except my own children.”

He said, “Playing football for a child without money is extremely difficult. But my parents made that seemingly impossible task possible. I can never repay their debt in my lifetime.”

For Monfort, Messi and Yamal facing off in the World Cup final is the most beautiful conclusion to a story that began nearly two decades ago. He says, “I feel like a chapter of their story is now completing. It’s truly a happy ending.”

He says, “I’m a supporter of Barcelona. If Messi can end his career by winning the World Cup for the second time, it would be the most beautiful conclusion to his great journey. He fully deserves it.”

He adds, “Yamal still has a lot of time. He can win many titles, including the World Cup, in the future. But right now, both Spain and Yamal are in excellent form. If he wins the World Cup now, it will be even more special than all his other titles.”

Finally, he smiles emotionally and says, “My situation is very difficult. My heart is divided into two.” For this reason, Sunday’s World Cup final will not just be a battle for the title; it will also be the climax of a unique story crafted by fate between Messi, who once held an infant in his arms, and Yamal, who has now emerged as a new shining star in world football.