In December 2007, a Barcelona newspaper ran a charity raffle to pick a local baby for a UNICEF calendar shoot.
The winning family brought their 5-month-old son.
The 20-year-old Barca player assigned to bathe him was Lionel Messi.
The baby was Lamine Yamal.
Nobody thought about the photo for 15 years.
Then the baby debuted for Barcelona at 15. Won the Euros at 16 while still doing homework. Took over Messi's number 10 shirt.
On Sunday they meet in the World Cup Final.
Messi is 39. It's likely his last one.
Yamal turned 19 two days ago. It's his first.
The baby Messi held in his hands is now trying to take the trophy out of them.
Messi lost the 2007 Copa América final.
He lost the 2014 World Cup final.
He lost the 2015 Copa América final.
He lost the 2016 Copa América final.
Back then, nobody was calling him “FIFA’s favorite.” They mocked him, said he was finished with Argentina, that he only performed for Barcelona because of Xavi and Iniesta.
Then he won the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 World Cup, and the 2024 Copa América.
Suddenly he’s “FIFA’s favorite.”
The hypocrisy is obvious. Losing? He’s a failure. Winning? It’s because he’s protected. The goalposts never stop moving.