One picture, two great stars! Messi and Yamal's fates face off again in the FIFA World Cup final

 

One picture, two great stars! Messi and Yamal's fates face off again in the FIFA World Cup final

 

Lahore: (Web Desk) Some stories in the world of football seem like fiction despite being true, and the story of Argentine great footballer Lionel Messi and Spain’s young superstar Lamine Yamal is also similar. Almost nineteen years ago, during a charity photo shoot, a teenage Lionel Messi bathed a small child in a plastic tub.

At that time, no one could have imagined that this child would become one of the best footballers in the world in the future and one day stand against Messi himself in the World Cup final. Now, the historic clash between Argentina and Spain in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday has made this old photo a topic of discussion around the world again.

These memorable photos were taken by renowned photojournalist Joan Monfort in 2007 for a joint charity calendar between a local newspaper and UNICEF. Lamine Yamal's mother was chosen for the photoshoot in Mataro, Spain, where her infant son met Barcelona's rising star Lionel Messi. Monfort says it was just a normal photoshoot at the time, but now that the same child has become a world football star, the photos feel like a movie scene.

Lionel Messi also reacted to the photo before the World Cup final, saying that when he saw it again, he could not believe that the child he had carried in his arms was going to play against him today. Messi described Lamine Yamal as one of the best players in the world, saying that he was only 19 years old and had a bright future ahead of him. He also expressed his best wishes for the young Spanish star.

Photographer Juan Monfort said that he himself had almost forgotten these photos, but when Lamine Yamal's father shared them on social networking sites during the 2024 European Championship, they went viral around the world in a matter of moments. Now, due to the World Cup final, the popularity of these photos has increased manifold and media outlets around the world are constantly contacting him to obtain these photos.

Also read: The decisive battle of the FIFA World Cup, Argentina or Spain? The world is waiting for a new champion!

This match has also become emotional for Barcelona fans, because on one side is the greatest player in the history of the club, Lionel Messi, and on the other is Barcelona's new hero Lamine Yamal. Juan Monfort himself admits that his heart is divided between the two players.

According to him, Messi is the greatest footballer of all time, while Lamine Yamal has become a symbol of a new generation, a new Spain and the bright future of football. That's why he says that if possible, he would like both of them to be declared winners in this historic competition, because fate has already woven their lives into an incredible story that the world may never forget.