Mother of all coincidences! How ‘Number 19’ connects Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal & FIFA World Cup 2026 final - Explained

"God writes his own stories". The phrase once again came to life as Argentina set a Spanish date in the final of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on the night of July 19 at New York's MetLife Stadium. But nobody thought that it would turn up like this, after 19 years at the "football's greatest show". The two lead characters in the story are Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi.

While the 18-year-old Spanish Yamal is featuring in his maiden final on World Cup debut, for Messi, the 39-year-old will be in his third summit clash appearance in six World Cups with Argentina who finished runners-up in 2014 before winning the coveted trophy in 2022 in Qatar. Incidentally, this could be Messi's last World Cup.

In fact, arguably the greatest footballer of all-time and the heir to his crown at Barcelona will take on each other for the first time in national colours on Sunday. Yamal's first meeting with Messi came in 2007, with the former not even in a position to know who he was with - in a photoshoot.

When did Yamal first met Messi?

Born to a Moroccan father Mounir Nasraoui and mother Sheila Ebana from Equatorial Guinea, Yamal was born in Spain in 2007. His parents met after moving to Catalonia for a better life. Shortly Yamal was born, Nasraoui and Ebana entered a raffle run by Catalan newspaper Sport in collaboration with then Barcelona sponsor and international children's charity UNICEF.

The selected babies would get a chance to be pictured with any of the Barcelona first-team players at that time. Call it a destiny or luck by chance, the Yamal was paired with Messi. Yamal was barely five months old then.

What followed was a then 19-year-old Messi clicking pictures with a smiling Yamal, and bathed the toddler. According to photographer Joan Monfort, who took the photos of Yamal and Messi, the Argentine was helped by Sheila during the photoshoot. Messi even bathed the tiny boy.

The “19” connection

Call it true miracle of destiny, no.19 has always connected Yamal and Messi. Having graduated from the La Masia Academy, Messi wore the no.19 jersey at Barcelona from the start of the 2006–07 season to the end of the 2007–08 season. The no.10 jersey was given to him before the 2008–09 season after Brazilian great Ronaldinho left the club.

Yamal wears the no.19 jersey for Spain. However, the Spaniard has been given the iconic no.10 jersey at Barcelona which was once worn by Messi. Barcelona president Joan Laporta handed Yamal the no.10 jersey last year in June when he signed an extended contract until 2031. Yamal inherited the no.10 jersey at Barcelona after from Ansu Fati who moved to Monaco.

That's not all. Messi was 20 years old when the photo was taken in 2007. The Argentine is 39 now and upon subtraction (39-20), it ends up at 19. In fact, Lamal will face Messi on July 19 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final as defending champions Argentina take on Spain at the MetLife Stadium. Yamal turned 19 on July 13, 2026.

Get all updates from FIFA World Cup 2026 here, along with FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Schedule and FIFA World Cup 2026 Points Table.