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Lionel Messi has praised Spain teenager Lamine Yamal ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, but made it clear Argentina will do everything possible to stop him making history.The defending champions face European champions Spain at the New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, with Yamal aiming to add another milestone to his burgeoning career. Messi acknowledged the teenager’s rise but said Argentina’s priority was to ensure the historic moment did not come to their detriment.“Lamine is really amazing,” Messi said. “I’ve followed him a lot because he plays for a club that I love very much. He has a chance to achieve something historic — we’ll try to make sure that doesn’t happen this time.”Messi spoke with seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady at Fanatics Fest on Friday, where he also addressed one of the most talked about football photos of recent days.The picture, taken nearly two decades ago, shows a 20-year-old Messi bathing baby Yamal during a promotional charity photo shoot in Barcelona. The image has gone viral again ahead of Sunday’s final as the two will now face off on football’s biggest stage.“That picture with Lamine, we are now facing the final after the photo was taken when he was a baby,” Messi said. “It’s just crazy.”The photo was taken by freelance photographer Joan Monfort, who admitted she had no idea its significance when he clicked it.Almost two decades ago, Monfort photographed a teenage Messi bathing a boy in a plastic tub while shooting a humanitarian calendar. Years later, that baby grew into Spanish star Lamine Yamal.Now the images have become one of the biggest talking points ahead of the World Cup final between Messi’s Argentina and Yamal’s Spain.“I was never a believer or thought anything would happen, but I had my doubts at the beginning. “This is beyond any reasonable explanation,” Monfort told The Associated Press on Friday from his home in Barcelona.While the photo has captured the imagination of football fans, Messi’s focus remains firmly on Sunday’s final.The Argentina captain said he had been following Yamal’s progress closely, especially as the teenager now plays for Barcelona, the club where Messi spent 21 years between 2000 and 2021.Messi, however, hopes the 19-year-old will not put in another memorable performance in the final.“We will try to play a good game, but I hope that he and his team will not play a good one,” Messi said.Both players have history at their fingertips.Messi could become the first player to win back-to-back FIFA World Cup captain title, while Yamal could become the second youngest player to start and win the World Cup final.After their semi-final victories, defending champions Argentina and European champions Spain will meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday.
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