The World Cup face-off between Messi and Yamal was always meant to be — and I can’t wait to watch it play out like a movie finale
The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina will feature a highly anticipated matchup between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, who were brought together nearly 20 years ago for a charity calendar shoot when Yamal was a baby. This unusual circumstance has sparked interest and discussion about the potential for a passing of the torch from Messi to Yamal. The upcoming match will be the first time the two have played against each other, adding to the excitement and intrigue surrounding the event.
- ▪Lamine Yamal was chosen to pose with Lionel Messi for a charity calendar shoot in 2007 when he was just a baby.
- ▪Yamal has emerged as a phenom for Spain, and the World Cup final will be the first time he has played against Messi.
- ▪The unusual circumstances of their initial meeting have sparked discussions about the potential for a passing of the torch from Messi to Yamal.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Kirsten Fleming Opinion The World Cup face-off between Messi and Yamal was always meant to be — and I can’t wait to watch it play out like a movie finale By Kirsten Fleming Published July 16, 2026, 7:16 p.m. ET (function() { var overlay = document.getElementById("nyp-player-lcp-overlay"); if (!overlay) { return; } function hideOverlay() { overlay.remove(); } function afterDCL() { requestAnimationFrame(hideOverlay); } if (document.readyState === "loading") { document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", afterDCL, { once: true }); } else { afterDCL(); } })(); See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google Whoa, baby! On Sunday, Spain will take on Argentina in the World Cup final at Metlife Stadium.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at New York Post.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from New York Post
