Merino: Viral baby photo of Yamal with Messi looked like AI-generated

Published Jul 18, 02:19 PM UTC

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Spanish international Mikel Merino addressed the viral photo of Lamine Yamal as a baby with Lionel Messi during a press conference ahead of the 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. Merino confessed he initially thought the image was generated by artificial intelligence. The photo has been widely discussed in the lead-up to the final match scheduled for Sunday at 8 PM. Additionally, the press conference touched on the smoke from Canadian wildfires that has blanketed New York City on the eve of the final. The article is from Record Portugal, a sports news outlet.

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Source

RecordWestern

Original headline: <![CDATA[ Merino e a famosa fotografia do bebé Yamal com Messi: «Pensava que era Inteligência Artificial!» ]]>

Original language: PT-PT

Part of this Story

Messi and Yamal Face Off in 2026 World Cup Final, 19 Years After Iconic Baby Photo

See the full Story: all sources and camp coverage

People and interests

Lamine Yamal Lionel Messi Spain Argentina