NEW YORK — A gathering of athletic titans converged on a single stage at Fanatics Fest on Friday evening, creating one of sports’ most extraordinary assemblies. The collection included Tom Brady, Super Bowl football’s winningest champion; Novak Djokovic, who holds the record for men’s Grand Slam tennis victories; and Kevin Durant, basketball’s sole four-time Olympic gold medalist. Before departing, each sought a photograph alongside Lionel Messi.
The moment underscored Messi’s singular standing in the global sports landscape. Even athletes who have reached the pinnacle of their respective disciplines actively seek his company, a testament to his status as soccer’s greatest talent. An estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide are expected to tune in Sunday when Messi and Argentina compete against Spain for the World Cup title.
“We will give it our all,” Messi declared during remarks at the event.
FIFA selected Fanatics Fest, a four-day New York celebration featuring autographs and celebrity appearances, as the venue for its pre-final media conferences. This choice allowed hundreds of spectators access to Messi in an unusually intimate public setting. The final is scheduled for Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Rodri, Spain’s captain, praised Messi’s influence during the proceedings. “It goes beyond words what Messi means as a player and what he means for Argentina,” Rodri said. “For me, he’s the greatest of all times.”
The format diverged from traditional media conferences. Instead of journalists posing questions, athletic celebrities conducted the interviews. Brady questioned Messi about a widely circulated photograph showing him bathing a young boy, now identified as Spain’s Lamine Yamal. “What a crazy picture,” Messi responded.
Djokovic inquired of Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni about managing pressure, then posed similar questions to Messi. Durant asked Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez what a back-to-back World Cup victory would signify. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and Rodri fielded questions about composure in critical moments.
Both squads appeared to embrace the unconventional atmosphere. The World Cup final itself is inherently theatrical, and Friday’s preview event matched that spectacle.
Scaloni urged perspective about the magnitude of the occasion. “It’s one more game,” the Argentina coach said. “We cannot really think about the fact that it’s a World Cup final.”
Argentina’s path to this final has not been straightforward despite remaining undefeated and undrawn in tournament play with a 7-0-0 record. The defending champions required comebacks in multiple knockout rounds. They erased a second-half deficit against England in the semifinals and recovered from two goals down against Egypt in the Round of 16.
Cape Verde forced Argentina to extra time in the Round of 32, as did Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Spain, meanwhile, drew its opening match against Cape Verde but otherwise advanced with a 6-0-1 record.
“I’ve said many times: We never stop fighting,” Messi said.
As Messi took the stage Friday, spectators largely refrained from applauding, instead raising phones to capture images. Recognizing their intent, Messi smiled and waved, prompting loud cheers. At the event’s conclusion, players, coaches, entertainer Kevin Hart, musician Travis Scott, retired footballer Rio Ferdinand, and Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin gathered for photographs with Messi as fans captured the moment.
“Sunday is going to be a great show,” Scaloni said as the preview concluded.
No team has claimed consecutive World Cup titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962. For Messi, the opportunity to achieve this feat would extend his already remarkable legacy. Martinez emphasized the squad’s determination. “We’ve got a group of players and a group of coaches that are working incredibly hard every single day to try to bring happiness to my country,” he said. “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.”
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