The baby Messi once bathed is on the other side of the final

A press conference without reporters

On the eve of the final, the people asking Lionel Messi questions were not reporters. FIFA staged its pre-final previews at Fanatics Fest, a fan event running in New York, and handed the microphone not to the press but to sports legends. Tom Brady and Novak Djokovic did the asking, in front of hundreds of fans.

What Brady showed Messi was an old photograph: a young Messi bathing a baby in a sink. "What a crazy picture," Messi laughed. That baby will line up on the other side of the pitch the next day.

A reunion 19 years in the making

The photo was taken in 2007 for a UNICEF and FC Barcelona Foundation charity calendar, shot by freelance photographer Joan Monfort. Messi, then 20, is bathing a five-month-old infant. That infant is now Spain's prodigy Lamine Yamal, 19. UNICEF has confirmed, again for this tournament, that the picture is genuine. The baby Messi once held will meet him in a competitive match for the first time — in the final.

The question Messi didn't answer

What Messi offered was a statement of intent: "We're going to give absolutely our best, with Leo, with the team that we have, to bring the World Cup back to my country and celebrate with our people." But the biggest question of the night — whether this is Messi's last World Cup match — went unanswered. Coach Lionel Scaloni waved it away: "What do I know? Ask him. He doesn't stop surprising us." Then he added: "He is pure history. A legend. The best footballer the world has seen."

A calm Spain

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente showed no nerves. "It will be a fantastic spectacle. Two super teams, with many similarities." Of Argentina he said, "I have great admiration for them. They're managed by a friend of mine," nodding to his rapport with Scaloni. "I don't believe finals are there to be won. They're there to be enjoyed." Asked whether he was nervous, he joked: "I'm nervous because we're going back to the hotel by helicopter. That's the only thing."

What's at stake

Spain are chasing a second title, their first since 2010, arriving as European champions having conceded just once in the knockouts and barely trailing at all. Argentina are chasing back-to-back World Cups — something no one has done since Brazil in 1962, 64 years ago. Their semifinal win over England, sealed by Lautaro Martinez's late header for a 2-1 result, set a national record of 19 goals in a single World Cup. The final is at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey; kickoff is Monday 04:00 Japan time.

When the session ended, the question still had no answer. The only thing settled is that the next time Messi steps onto a pitch, it will be this final.