Lionel Messi, Tom Brady, Novak Djokovic feature in Michael Rubin's "iconic" Fanatics Fest selfie
New York, July 18
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin shared a star-studded selfie from Fanatics Fest 2026, bringing together some of the biggest names from the worlds of sports, music and entertainment ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between defending champions Argentina and Spain on Saturday.
The selfie, clicked by NBA star Kevin Durant, featured Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi alongside NFL legend Tom Brady, tennis great Novak Djokovic, Durant, comedian Kevin Hart, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Rubin, rapper Travis Scott, former England footballer Rio Ferdinand and Spain midfielder Rodri.
Rubin posted the photograph on Instagram with the caption, "Iconic."
Defending champions Argentina secured a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over England in the semifinal, overturning a first-half deficit with Enzo Fernandez scoring the equaliser before Lautaro Martinez netted the stoppage-time winner to send the defending champions into the title clash against Spain.
The win over England sent Argentina into the World Cup 2026 final, while England's hopes of reaching their first World Cup final since 1966 came to a heartbreaking end.
Spain, on the other hand, secured a place in the FIFA World Cup final for the first time since their 2010 triumph after defeating France 2-0 with a composed performance. Lamine Yamal played a key role in the win, winning a penalty after dispossessing Lucas Digne, which Mikel Oyarzabal converted in the 22nd minute to give Spain the lead.
Pedro Porro doubled Spain's advantage after the break following a fine move with Dani Olmo, while France struggled to create clear chances.
Yamal had a goal ruled out for offside, and despite late efforts from Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni, Spain's defence held firm to secure their sixth clean sheet in seven tournament matches.
The victory booked Spain's second-ever World Cup final appearance.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is insane! Tom Brady hanging out with Messi while Djokovic is there? The crossover energy is off the charts. But let's be real, England bottling it again is peak football. 😂 India could learn from Spain's discipline though - holding six clean sheets is unreal.
Yaar, these Western celebs just love hanging with each other. Meanwhile, we're struggling to get our own sports stars to even meet. But credit where it's due - Messi is legendary. Argentina's comeback against England was pure class. Lautaro Martinez in stoppage time? Chills! 🏆
Not sure why this is news. It's just rich people posing. Messi deserves the hype but this whole fabricated 'iconic' moment feels forced. The football itself sounds amazing though - Yamal at 18 running rings around France? That kid is something else. Spain vs Argentina is going to be a cracker!
Seeing Messi, Brady, and Djokovic in one frame is wild! Argentina vs Spain final - imagine the quality! But as an Indian, I'm just thinking: when will we see our cricketers in such global conversations? At least football is giving us something to cheer about. Messi for the win! 🇮🇳🔥
Cool selfie but let's talk about the football: England's 1966 curse continues! As an American who appreciates the game, I'm rooting for Spain. Their defense is rock solid - six clean sheets! But Messi on home turf? That's the x-factor. Either
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.