New York's Times Square was awash in blue and white on Saturday as thousands of Argentina fans gathered to celebrate their team's advance to the World Cup final. The festive atmosphere persisted despite flash floods that impacted the city.
Supporters sang, danced, and waved flags, their spirits undampened by the stormy weather. The jubilant scene followed Argentina's dramatic comeback victory against England in the semi-final on Wednesday, where two late goals secured a 2-1 win. Spain earned their spot in the final by defeating France 2-0.
The upcoming final pits Lionel Messi against Spain's 19-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal. The two players have an unexpected past connection that resurfaced this week: a photograph from 2007 shows a young Messi bathing an infant Yamal as part of a charity project. "That picture, it was crazy. Him as a baby, and now we are facing each other... so once again what a crazy picture," Messi commented on the image during a recent appearance in New York.
Messi acknowledged Yamal as "one of the best players in the world right now" and wished him luck, while also stating his team's intention to "give them [Spain] the best match possible." The photographer, Joan Monfort, took the images for a charity calendar produced by the newspaper Diario Sport and UNICEF.
The World Cup final is scheduled to take place at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium on Sunday.