Messi: Yamal photo 'incredible' path to WC final

Argentina captain Lionel Messi called the photo of him bathing Lamine Yamal in 2007 "incredible," praising the Spanish winger ahead of Sunday's 2026 World Cup final. "That photo is incredible," Messi said Friday. "I took a picture with him when he was a baby ... the fact that we're both playing in the World Cup now is crazy." The photo was taken as part of a charity calendar produced at the FC Barcelona stadium by the local newspaper Sport and UNICEF. Soccer destiny then deemed that Yamal, who would become a Barcelona star 16 years later, was paired with the Argentine legend for one of the calendar images. The journey is now complete, from bathtub to World Cup final, where the 19-year-old Yamal will face the 39-year-old Messi for the first time at the international level. "He's one of the best in the world right now," Messi said at FIFA's Fanatics Fest in New York. "I wish him luck because his success will be Barcelona's success, [but] we'll try to keep him from playing at his best. Spain has a great team, not just him. We have our own weapons, too. "He's a tremendous player ... a global star," Messi added. "He's 19 years old and has his whole career ahead of him. I wish him the best, but we'll give it our all to ensure he doesn't become champion this time." Photographer Joan Monfort, who took the iconic photos, said interest in his work has skyrocketed. "The photo has exploded all over the world, and the fact that the final is in the U.S. has given it an extra push," Monfort told The Associated Press. "And now this has culminated with the final between Messi and Yamal. It is better than any film script." Yamal's Spain teammate, Mikel Merino, had the same reaction as most people who see the photos. "The first time I saw it, I thought it was AI and that it wasn't even real," Merino said Friday. "It's unbelievable that two of the best players to have played the game -- and hopefully Lamine, in the future, will be one of those -- share a picture like that. Hopefully we're going to see a very bright final with those two protagonists at their best, playing and giving all the fans a great spectacle." Messi, who has recorded eight goals and four assists so far, is set to feature in his third World Cup final after reaching this stage in 2014, 2022 and now 2026. He is tied with Kylian Mbappé for the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot as Argentina attempt to become back-to-back champions. Spain and Argentina were originally supposed to play each other in the Finalissima ahead of the World Cup, but the match -- planned for March in Qatar -- was canceled because of the conflict in the Middle East. The Associated Press contributed to this report.