SerpApi.Org
Fresh off Spain's triumph over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, Sergio Ramos celebrated in a way that football fans quickly recognised. The former Spain captain shared a series of photos on Instagram after his country's 1-0 victory, but one image stood out above the rest. Ramos was pictured asleep with two FIFA World Cup trophies beside him, a playful recreation of Lionel Messi's viral photograph following Argentina's 2022 World Cup success.
The post appeared to be a tongue-in-cheek nod to Messi, whose original image of sleeping alongside the World Cup trophy became one of the defining moments after Argentina's title win in Qatar. While the recreation was unlikely to match the extraordinary popularity of Messi's post, it instantly caught the attention of football fans familiar with the reference.
Ramos and Messi spent over a decade on opposite sides of one of football's fiercest rivalries, representing Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively during the peak of El Clasico. However, they did share a dressing room together when both men were a part of Paris Saint-Germain before Messi left the team to join MLS in 2023.
Having lifted the World Cup with Spain in 2010, Ramos now has reason to celebrate a second title for his country. Spain's latest triumph in 2026 doubled the nation's World Cup tally after their maiden success 16 years earlier, when Andres Iniesta's extra-time strike sealed a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in South Africa.
Ramos was not the only Spaniard to reference Messi's iconic celebration. Midfielder Fabian Ruiz also recreated the famous image while travelling home with the World Cup trophy, adding another light-hearted tribute to Spain's title celebrations.
Messi's original photograph, taken after Argentina finally ended their long wait for World Cup glory in 2022, showed him asleep with the trophy tucked into his arms. The image became one of the most shared moments of the tournament and has since become an enduring symbol of his crowning achievement.
