Eighteen years ago, a casual promotional photoshoot at Barcelona’s Camp Nou created a moment that would go viral decades later, just hours before two of the subjects of that image meet for football’s most prestigious trophy.
In 2006, Lamine Yamal’s family won a raffle that granted them the chance to take a photo with a rising young Barcelona star. By random chance, they were matched with 20-year-old Lionel Messi, who was only a few seasons into his legendary professional career at the club. Photographer Joan Monfort later recalled that the famously introverted Messi was caught off guard when he walked into the room to find an infant Yamal waiting in a plastic tub of water for the shoot. At first, the young star did not even know how to properly hold the baby, but the resulting photograph captured a gentle, tender moment between two athletes who would both go on to reach the pinnacle of global football.
That little-known photo exploded across social media last week, after both Argentina captain Messi and Spanish teenage star Yamale qualified for the FIFA World Cup final, pitting the two former Barcelona teammates against each other as rivals for the global title. The unexpected full-circle moment has added even more hype to one of the most anticipated final matches in the tournament’s history, and football fan fever has already swept across Trinidad and Tobago, triggering a massive surge in sales of merchandise featuring the two star players.
Across retail locations from Port of Spain’s Excellent City Mall to MovieTowne’s FanZone in Mucurapo, Messi and Yamal apparel has been selling out at unprecedented rates. Jersey and T-shirt prices range from $TT 180 for locally made options to $TT 850 for official branded authentic merchandise, while branded caps retail for around $TT 175. Even at these price points, stock is disappearing quickly.
At Caribbean Collection, customer service representative Aliana Maraj told reporters that the Friday before the final was one of the busiest shopping days the store has seen since the World Cup tournament kicked off. “People have been coming in all morning. We had about 100 customers buying T-shirts and caps,” Maraj said, noting that customers often linger to discuss their predictions for the final match. “There’s a lot of excitement.” Maraj, who supports Argentina as a long-standing family tradition, added that her store’s locally produced T-shirts and caps have been the most popular items among shoppers.
A customer service representative at FanZone, who requested anonymity, confirmed that merchandise for both players has outpaced all other offerings. “Messi and Lamine Yamal T-shirts are selling like hotcakes,” they said, noting that even other popular national team merchandise from Brazil, Germany, France and England has not matched the demand for the two finalists’ gear. Most small memorabilia items, including key chains, have already sold out completely, with only a small stock of puzzles priced between $TT 270 and $TT 395 remaining as of Friday.
By 6 p.m. Friday, most football merchandise had already sold out at Excellent City Mall in Port of Spain, with the few remaining T-shirts priced at $TT 390.
Local fans are split in their support for the two finalists, matching the global divide around the match. Maraval resident Lawrence Salandy, a Spain supporter, purchased official jerseys for himself and his family during a trip to the United States, paying roughly US$300 per jersey. “I had my name printed on mine to show support for Spain,” Salandy said, noting that he stands by the Spanish side even as most fans around him support Argentina. He added that many fans who bought merchandise for other top teams have been left disappointed after their favorite sides were eliminated earlier in the knockout stage.
Sean Mitchell, a regular amateur football player from Laventille, echoed that support, saying “They play to win. It’s Spain all the way.”
A veteran local sportscaster told the *Sunday Express* that this World Cup has cemented international football jerseys as one of the most consistently high-demand sporting goods items. Premium star player jerseys, especially those for Messi, command top price points, often hitting $TT 500 or more. Demand is not limited to just the two finalists, either: the sportscaster noted that Kylian Mbappé, one of the tournament’s top scorers who was eliminated with France in the semi-final, still has extremely high demand for his merchandise.
As kickoff approaches in New York for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, fans across the globe and in Trinidad and Tobago are gearing up to watch the historic match between the two stars who first shared a photo together 18 years ago.