(Photo) The funniest moment of the World Cup 2026 final goes to... Ronaldinho’s AI Meme

19.07.26 AET World Cup

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Ronaldinho broke the pre match tension on Sunday by sharing a viral, AI-generated image ahead of the World Cup final clash in New Jersey.

As the football world braces for the ultimate showdown between Argentina & Spain, a familiar smiling face decided to lighten the mood.

Brazilian icon Ronaldinho took to social media to share a heavily edited picture of himself recreating one of the most talked about images of the current tournament.

The original photograph features a young Lionel Messi bathing a baby Lamine Yamal. However, Ronaldinho used artificial intelligence to place his own face over the infant in the water.

The former Barcelona playmaker captioned the post with his signature humor, jokingly stating that his critics would undoubtedly claim the image was generated by AI. He then added a second witty remark declaring that he never actually needed a bathtub because he spent his career drowning opponents with his dribbling skills on the pitch.

The famous 2007 charity campaign

The timing of the joke perfectly captures the current global narrative. The championship match marks the very first time Messi & Yamal will face each other in a competitive fixture.

The viral lore surrounding them stems from a 2007 charity calendar photoshoot organized by UNICEF and the Catalan newspaper Sport at Camp Nou. During that session, a 20 year old Messi posed while bathing a 5 month old infant, completely unaware that the child would grow up to become a Spanish national team sensation.

Khaled Hegazy |

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Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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