20/07/2026
❤️ The Messi–Lamine Yamal story has come full circle.
In 2007, a 20-year-old Lionel Messi took part in a UNICEF charity photoshoot, gently holding and bathing a six-month-old baby named Lamine Yamal.
Nineteen years later, they stood on opposite sides in the biggest match in football — the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final.
This time, it was Yamal's Spain that emerged victorious, lifting the World Cup while Messi watched from the other side.
One legend was nearing the end of his extraordinary journey.
Another announced himself on football's greatest stage.
Some stories in football are too perfect to be written.
This was one of them. ❤️⚽