“11 Olympic medals in one photo” — Fans react as Usain Bolt and Noah Lyles meet at World Cup semifinal

The 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinal between Spain and France produced plenty of memorable moments on the pitch, but one of the biggest talking points came from the stands.

Olympic sprint legend Usain Bolt and icon Noah Lyles were spotted together during the blockbuster clash, with the pair posing for a selfie that quickly spread across social media.

Fans were quick to point out the significance of the image.

Between them, Bolt and Lyles boast 11 Olympic medals, making the photograph a meeting of two of athletics’ biggest stars.

One reaction summed up the mood online:

“Usain Bolt x Noah Lyles. Eleven Olympic medals in one frame.”

Bolt, widely regarded as the greatest sprinter in history, has become a familiar face at major football tournaments since retiring from athletics.

The Jamaican legend has long expressed his love for football and has regularly attended FIFA World Cup matches over the years.

Bolt won a total of 8 Olympic gold medals across his career, successfully sweeping the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay at three consecutive Olympic Games (2008, 2012, and 2016). While he originally won 9, his 2008 relay gold was stripped due to a teammate's doping violation

Lyles, meanwhile, is one of track and field’s biggest current stars and has embraced football during this year’s tournament, attending several matches across the United States.

Noah Lyles has won a total of three Olympic medals across his career including one gold medal at Paris 2024 Olympics and two bronzes (men's 200m at the 2024 Paris Olympics and men's 200m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics).

The American sprinter also shared photos from the stadium on social media alongside his wife, fellow Olympian Junelle Bromfield, whom he married four months ago.

The selfie between Bolt and Lyles quickly became one of the most-shared off-field moments of the night, with sports fans celebrating the meeting of two generations of sprint greatness.

See more reactions from X below.