Casablanca – When Argentina booked its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain, an old photograph quickly resurfaced online: a young Lionel Messi, then a rising Barcelona star, bathing baby Lamine Yamal during a UNICEF charity photoshoot.
At the time, the image meant little beyond a promotional campaign. Today, it has become one of the defining symbols of this World Cup final.
Yamal, now one of Spain’s brightest young stars, is not the only member of La Roja preparing to face the player he once idolized.
As anticipation builds ahead of Sunday’s showdown, a series of throwback photos has highlighted just how long Messi has been at the top of world football and how deeply his influence has shaped the generation now standing in his way.
Messi, 39, is playing in his sixth FIFA World Cup after spending the majority of his legendary club career with Barcelona. During those years, he became the role model for countless young footballers across Spain.
A rare full-circle moment
Long before becoming one of Spain’s key players, Gavi posed for photos with Messi as a child while progressing through Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy. For many youngsters who entered the club’s youth system in recent years, Messi represented the absolute standard to reach.
Attacking midfielder Dani Olmo also belongs to that generation. Although his youth career eventually took him away from Spain, he too crossed paths with Messi during the Argentine’s peak years in La Liga, growing up watching, and learning from, one of football’s greatest players.
Goalkeeper Joan García has likewise become part of the conversation after images emerged showing him alongside Messi during his childhood, adding another layer to the unique narrative surrounding the final.
While the viral image of Messi and Yamal remains the most widely shared, together these photographs tell a broader story.
For Spain’s new generation, Messi is more than an opponent. He is the player they grew up watching, admiring, and hoping to emulate.
But with the FIFA World Cup trophy now on the line, admiration is bound to give way to competition.
Sunday’s final thus represents a rare full-circle moment in football: a legendary figure confronting the very generation his brilliance helped inspire.
For Messi, it is another reminder of a career that has stretched across decades. For Spain’s young stars, it is the chance to dethrone the player who once inspired them.
