Everyone is talking about the photograph in which a twenty-something Leo Messi and a Lamine Yamal just a few months old appear together, taken almost 20 years ago. The Argentine has become the best footballer in history; the Catalan, the star of Barça and the Spanish national team. Both will compete this Sunday for the World Cup. The coincidence is so incredible that it has generated unprecedented attention. The mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, thought it was the work of artificial intelligence, and Jimmy Fallon, on ‘The Tonight Show’, dedicated his famous monologue to it.

16 years and a week ago Andrés Iniesta (Fuentealbilla, 1984) was the living image of happiness. He was sitting in seat D, row 12 of a charter that had departed from Johannesburg bound for Madrid. He was wearing the Spanish national team jersey with the number 6 on the back. And he was recounting, still fresh in his memory, the play of the goal that allowed La Roja to enter the club of world champions. Seven hours had passed since the moment and the man from La Mancha had still not seen his goal replayed. Unthinkable nowadays, where everything moves at the speed of light, but possible then. Iniesta now speaks to La Vanguardia from Dubai, where he is about to start the season with his first team as a coach, Gulf FC of the United Arab Emirates. From there he recalls his memories of 2010 and projects his analysis for this Sunday’s final.

La FIFA organized an event with fans on Eleventh Avenue in New York, touching the Hudson River. And although his presence was not announced, Leo Messi appeared there accompanied by Lionel Scaloni and goalkeeper Dibu Martínez. Rodri and Luis de la Fuente joined the three of them. There, less than 48 hours before the final, the captain of Argentina showered praise on Lamine Yamal. “Lamine is a great player, he is a world reference at 19 years old,” said the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

It is not common for a Real Madrid footballer to give interviews to La Vanguardia, but the World Cup final has aligned the stars, creating the perfect setting. Before playing the most important match of his career, Marc Cucurella (Alella, 1998) arrives very punctually for his appointment. He seems a bit wary at first but soon realizes he is not on the firing line and flashes his first smiles. He is approachable and kind. And he does not hide from anything.