Messi calls Lamine Yamal ‘amazing’ as they go from baby shot to FIFA World Cup 2026 final rivals

Lionel Messi has reacted warmly to the now-viral photo of himself with baby Lamine Yamal, calling the image “crazy” and praising Yamal as one of the world’s leading young stars ahead of the World Cup final, while UNICEF says the photo is real and dates back more than 18 years to a fundraising shoot where Messi met Yamal and his mother, adding a remarkable personal layer to a final that also carries huge stakes for Argentina’s bid to win back-to-back world titles.