How Lionel Messi's iconic photo with baby Lamine Yamal came to be
A 2007 charity photoshoot featuring a young Lionel Messi bathing a baby Lamine Yamal has resurfaced as the two prepare to face off in the 2026 World Cup final. The image, originally for a UNICEF calendar, has become a viral symbol of destiny in football.
Why it matters
The story captures a rare, serendipitous moment in sports history that highlights the long-term development of elite athletes.
You've probably seen it by now, but back in 2007, then-Barcelona prodigy Lionel Messi posed for a photoshoot where he was bathing a little baby. The Argentina superstar will see that baby again. Five months old at the time, it was Spain's rising superstar Lamine Yamal . On Sunday, nearly two decades later, they'll face each other in the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium between Spain and Argentina. A game that will not only determine the new world champions but can potentially also decide who is going to be the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner between Messi and Yamal. But first, how did Messi and Yamal end up together in that photoshoot?
Lionel Messi once held a baby Lamine Yamal for a charity photoshoot. 19 years later, the two will play against each other in the World Cup final. pic.twitter.com/1o5MSOMdEs
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