Jimmy Fallon Breaks Down Messi and Yamal's Viral Conspiracy Theory Ahead of World Cup Final
- American talk show host Jimmy Fallon stirred reactions with a wild Messi and Yamal theory
- Ahead of Sunday's final between Argentina and Spain, an old photo of the pair has resurfaced
- Fallon used the number 19 to walk his audience through the wild theory on his popular show
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Jimmy Fallon has addressed a viral conspiracy theory about Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal on The Tonight Show.
Source: Twitter
The pair are set to meet in the 2026 World Cup final this Sunday, and the theory has been building steadily in the days leading up to it.
According to multiple reports, the photo at the centre of the theory is real and came from a 2007 UNICEF charity campaign in Barcelona.
Photographer Joan Monfort organised a raffle for local families to take part in a photo session with Barcelona players, and Yamal's family was among those selected.
Lamine Yamal was only a few months old at the time, having been born in July 2007, while Messi was 20 and still establishing himself at the club.
The 19-year-old has said he did not know the photograph existed for years until his father showed it to him.
Fallon breaks down the Messi and Yamal theory
Fallon told his audience the photo was genuine before introducing the theory fans have built around it.
He first acknowledged the wildest version of the claim doing the rounds.
Fallon said: "Some say there's a huge FIFA conspiracy that has been scripting every game for twenty years. I mean it's obviously ridiculous to believe that, and you'd have to be stupid to believe that. Until you look into it."
He then walked through it piece by piece. Fallon pointed out that Messi is 39 now and was 20 when the photo was taken, and subtracting the two gives 19, Yamal's current age.
Fallon followed that with Yamal's shirt number, which is also 19, then noted the photo itself was taken 19 years ago in 2007.
Messi, he added, wore the number 19 at Barcelona around that same period, and the World Cup final falls on July 19.
The TikTok video of Jimmy Fallon explaining the conspiracy theory between Messi and Lamine Yamal is shown below.
Fans join in Messi and Yamal number theories
Reaction to the segment was largely amused rather than sceptical, with several viewers extending Fallon's bit with their own number breakdowns instead of pushing back on it.
YEN.com.gh compiled some of the comments from the post.
Francz wrote:
"Jimmy cooked with that theory. But it's just a theory, a soccer theory."
JUSTME said:
"Argentina even scored 19 goals to reach the final. They also conceded 7. Final is on 19/07/26. 19+7=26 if you want to go another way. Spain scored 12 goals and Argentina conceded 7 respectively to reach the finals, 12+7=19. Even more crazier, if you add all the FIFA rankings of the teams Argentina played to get to the finals you get 234, while Spain is 181. 2+3+4=9, 1+8+1=10, 9+10=19."
Mohamad indicated:
"This gotta be a Harry Potter situation where Lamine Yamal is the only one who can kill him."
samuele. delluomo added:
"Messi losing to the baby he blessed might be the most poetic shi ever."
Giancarlos Jimenez wrote:
"Their birthday are 19 days apart."
Lamine Yamal's father to miss World Cup final
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that his father, Mounir Nasraoui, will not be in New Jersey for the final.
Nasraoui explained that he lives with epilepsy and takes daily medicine, and that the stress of a match this big carries a real risk of triggering a seizure.
He has missed every one of Yamal's matches at this World Cup for the same reason, despite having been present for his son's Euro 2024 triumph two years ago.
Source: YEN.com.gh
