World Cup Final in New York: Messi Faces His Successor Yamal for the First Time

A Photo from the Year 2007

The personal encounter between the two is by no means new. The first meeting between the two outside the stadium, however, was over 18 years ago. At that time, in 2007, Messi was photographed for a charity calendar of the Spanish newspaper "Diario Sport". The picture was part of a charity calendar of the Spanish newspaper "Diario Sport" for the year 2008. Players of FC Barcelona were photographed with various children for this purpose.

Among these children was the then only a few months old Lamine Yamal. showing Messi bathing the then only five-month-old Yamal in a plastic tub – as the images, which first resurfaced publicly during the European Championship two years ago, show. The images resurfaced publicly when Yamal's father posted them on Instagram during the European Championship two years ago. The proceeds went to various organizations, including the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

For Yamal, the constellation on Sunday is another milestone in a steep career. Yamal had already stepped into Messi's footsteps and had developed into a star of FC Barcelona as a graduate of the world's leading academy, La Masia. The teenager was then the driving force behind Spain's triumph at the European Championship, which Spain won two years ago. although Yamal only celebrated his 19th birthday three days ago, he already counts among the defining figures of his team.

Spain's Barça Generation

The symbolic power of this final thus goes far beyond an ordinary final pairing. Almost nine years later, the two left-footed stars battle for the World Championship title on football's biggest stage. an almost unbelievable coincidence led Yamal into Messi's arms – and in the coming days the two stand opposite each other as opponents for the first time.

Situation Heading into Kickoff

For Spain, the match is also a generational turning point. With Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi, Dani Olmo and Joan García, as many as five players in the squad were trained in the youth department of FC Barcelona. Gavi is listed at 21 years old, Joan García at 25, Dani Olmo at 28 and Pau Cubarsí at 19 – together with Yamal, the quintet forms the personnel foundation of a team that the Spanish federation are likely to build for the coming years.

Argentina, for their part, rely on routine and the experience of their captain. Messi leads the team as leader and record national-team player. The situation heading into the final could hardly be more different: on one side the defending champions with one of the best footballers in history, on the other side a young Spanish team that has proven at the European Championship that it is capable of winning titles. The final on Sunday in New York will decide which of these stories finds its next continuation.