Argentina captain, Lionel Messi, has called his picture with Lamine Yamal incredible on the eve of his country’s World Cup final against Spain.
Messi had featured in a UNICEF event in Catalonia during his Barcelona days, and it included a photoshoot of the Argentine maestro bathing a baby in a tub.
The baby turned out to be Lamine Yamal, and the photo went viral when the Spanish wonderkid broke into the club’s first team.
Messi has added his voice to reactions on the iconic photograph as both players face each other in the final on Sunday.
Despite using superlatives such as crazy and incredible to describe the picture and player, Messi, however, hopes Yamal and Spain fall short to allow Argentina successfully defend their title.
“That picture with Lamine is incredible, he started, “Now we are facing each other in a final after a photo was taken of us when he was a baby, it’s just crazy.”
“We’ll try to put on a good match, but I hope he and his team don’t put on a good one,” Messi added.
The Inter Miami captain also hailed Yamal as a world class player but says the Albiceleste are well prepared to ensure that Spain and the 19-year-old do not add the World Cup trophy to a burgeoning trophy cabinet that already includes the Euro 2024 trophy.
“He’s one of the best in the world right now. I wish him luck because his success will be Barcelona’s success, but we’ll try to keep him from playing at his best.”
“Spain has a great team, not just him. We have our own weapons too.”
Argentina and Spain will square off at the New Jersey stadium on Sunday. Argentina are seeking to become the second nation to successfully defend the World Cup, and first since Brazil in 1962.
Spain, perennial underachiever before a slew of international accolades since the turn of the millennium, are gunning for their second World Cup trophy.
