The excitement for the 2026 World Cup awakened a very special memory in Rachel Arderi: the Cuban influencer shared in her Instagram stories the moment when her son Yan Carlos met Lionel Messi, a story that once again moved her followers amid the festive World Cup spirit.
The memory came just after Argentina came back from a 0-2 deficit against Egypt to win 3-2 on Tuesday in Atlanta and advance to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup, with goals from Lautaro Romero, Messi, and Enzo Fernández.
The meeting between Yan Carlos and the Argentine star took place in October 2025 at Chase Stadium in Miami, home of Inter Miami CF, during the friendly match between Argentina and Puerto Rico that ended 6-0 in favor of the Albiceleste.
On that occasion, Yan Carlos —the eldest son of Rachel and the Cuban reggaeton artist Oniel "Bebeshito"— participated as a child who walks out with the players and entered the field holding hands with the defender Nicolás Otamendi.
In addition to that moment, the boy had the opportunity to meet Messi in person and greet all the players who were waiting alongside the other children before heading onto the field.
Rachel accompanied the memory with a description that says it all: "Yan remembering now when he walked hand in hand with Otamendi in the Argentina vs. Puerto Rico match (He met Messi and greeted both him and all the kids who were there waiting to go out with each of them)."
On Yan Carlos's account, he shared his excitement the day after the match: "Yesterday, I fulfilled one of my dreams by meeting Messi, and I walked in holding hands with @nicolasotamendi30. I am a very happy child and fortunate, thanks to my parents @rachelarderi @onielbebeshito for making my dreams come true."
The post garnered over 35,800 likes and 385 comments, including a reaction from Otamendi himself with claps and the Argentine flag.
It is not the first time the family has shown their passion for Messi: in May 2026, Rachel, Bebeshito, and Yan Carlos celebrated a goal from the star live during an Inter Miami match at the Nu Stadium in Miami.
Now, with Argentina qualified for the quarter-finals and set to face Switzerland on July 11 in Kansas City, Yan Carlos's memory with Messi takes on an even more special significance, and Otamendi —who has stated that this will be his last World Cup— returns to be the focus of a story that the Arderi family will never forget.
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