A lineup of prominent athletes appeared together on stage at Fanatics Fest on Friday evening. Among them were Tom Brady, a record Super Bowl winner, Novak Djokovic, holder of the most men’s Grand Slam tennis titles, and Kevin Durant, a four-time Olympic gold medalist in basketball. Each posed for a photo with Lionel Messi before departing.
The gathering highlighted Messi’s influence, as fellow athletes sought to share the moment with the leading soccer player. They, along with an estimated 1.5 billion viewers worldwide, are set to watch Messi and Argentina play Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final.
Messi stated that his team would give full effort. The news conference marked his final public appearance before the match in East Rutherford, New Jersey. FIFA used the four-day Fanatics Fest in New York, featuring signings and appearances, to host preview sessions, allowing many attendees to see Messi in an open setting.
Spain captain Rodri described Messi’s impact as beyond words and called him the greatest player. The format allowed players and coaches from both teams to ask questions instead of traditional media.
Brady referenced a viral photo of Messi bathing a young Lamine Yamal. Djokovic inquired about handling pressure with coach Lionel Scaloni and Messi. After Messi’s responses, Djokovic thanked him. He then questioned Spain coach Luis de la Fuente and Rodri on staying composed. Brady revisited the photo topic and asked Rodri about pre-final remarks. Durant asked Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez about winning consecutive World Cups.
The teams appeared engaged with the format. Scaloni noted it was just another match and avoided focusing on its final status.
Argentina reached the final after overcoming deficits against England and Egypt, plus extra time against Cape Verde and Switzerland. They remain unbeaten, while Spain drew one match. Messi emphasized ongoing determination.
The defending champions arrived in New York. Upon Messi’s stage entrance, attendees recorded the moment rather than applauding. He smiled and waved, prompting cheers. At the end, players, coaches, and others including Kevin Hart, Travis Scott, and Rio Ferdinand joined for a group photo.
Scaloni called Sunday’s match a great show. Messi glanced at the trophy case before leaving, aware of the stakes. No team has repeated as champion since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
