Lionel Messi (center) and coach Lionel Scaloni listen to tennis player Novak Djokovic during a press conference before the Argentina versus Spain World Cup 2026 final in New York, My on 17/7/2026. Photo: AP

On 17/7, Messi, Emiliano Martinez, and Lionel Scaloni from Argentina, along with Rodri and Luis de la Fuente from Spain, appeared together at a pre-final event. The two captains and two coaches shared their thoughts on the pressure, preparations, and confidence leading up to the decisive match.

In typical American style, the captains and head coaches of Spain and Argentina posed together for the official photo shoot.

To a lively musical backdrop, Luis de la Fuente and Rodri entered the auditorium to the tune of Rosalia's "Despecha." Meanwhile, Messi, Martinez, and Scaloni appeared to the melody of "Matador" by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs.

The event was moderated by former England defender Rio Ferdinand, with notable guests including: tennis player Novak Djokovic, basketball star Kevin Durant, and American football legend Tom Brady. The main figures shared their views sequentially before the most anticipated match of 2026.

Here, Messi stated his passion for football developed from childhood, regardless of where he played. "We grew up with football, with great passion, always eager to play and enjoy the game", he said. "Whether at school, on the streets, or in a team, all of us started in neighborhood teams as children".

According to the Argentina captain, pressure has never been a major concern for him and his teammates. Messi believes past failures helped him mature. Before winning two Copa Americas and the 2022 World Cup, Messi had previously lost in the finals of the Copa America in 2007, 2015, 2016, and the World Cup in 2014 with Argentina.

"I don't think we ever truly thought about pressure; rather, we saw it as a natural part of football, playing and enjoying the game", the 39-year-old superstar expressed. "We are competitive and like to win, but this is a team sport. Opponents also play, and you cannot always win".

Lionel Messi bathes Lamine Yamal during a photoshoot for a charity calendar campaign in 2007. Photo: Sport

Afterwards, Messi was asked about Lamine Yamal, the young talent from Spain. The Argentina captain praised the younger player's development, considering Yamal a top player globally at 19, with many opportunities to achieve significant milestones in his career. However, he affirmed Argentina would make every effort to prevent Yamal and Spain from making history in the final.

Ahead of the final, photos of Messi with Yamal when he was just 5 months old resurfaced and went "viral". The photo was part of the second edition of a 2007 charity calendar campaign, a collaboration between Sport newspaper, the Barca Foundation, and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). At that time, Yamal was only 5 months old, visiting Camp Nou with his parents for the first time. Coincidentally, the player chosen for the photo was Messi. The Argentina forward was then a promising young player, not yet a superstar like Ronaldinho, Deco, or Samuel Eto'o.

"The fact that I once took a picture with him as a baby, and now we face each other in a World Cup final, is truly incredible", Messi remarked. "But Lamine is currently one of the best players in the world. I wish him much luck, because his success will also be good for Barca. However, Argentina will try to play a good game so that he cannot show his best version, even though that will be very difficult".

Messi and Yamal both wore the number 19 jersey at Barca. Photo: Marca

Notably, the story between Messi and Yamal is also marked by a series of coincidences surrounding the number 19. The two players are exactly 19 years apart in age and met during the famous photoshoot 19 years ago.

The coincidences do not stop there. Both Messi and Yamal made their World Cup debut at just 19 years old, both wearing the number 19 jersey in this tournament. This number was also associated with both of them at Barca, although Messi debuted for the first team with jersey number 30 before switching to 19.

Yamal wore the number 19 jersey at Barca before taking over the number 10 shirt, the legendary number Messi used for many years. Therefore, the clash between these two generations of players becomes even more special as the World Cup final on 19/7 continues the series of coincidences linked to their journeys.

Hong Duy (according to Marca, TyC Sports)