Lamine Yamal explains the story behind his iconic photo with Lionel Messi
Football star Lamine Yamal has revealed why he asked his father to keep a viral childhood photo of him being bathed by Lionel Messi private for years. He wanted to establish his own identity as a player before being compared to the legendary Argentine.
Why it matters
The story highlights the psychological pressure young athletes face when dealing with high expectations and media narratives.
The photograph of a young Lamine Yamal being bathed by Lionel Messi as a baby remains one of the most remarkable coincidences in football history.
The image, taken by SPORT photographer Joan Monfort, captured the greatest player of all time alongside the boy who would go on to become his heir, and it went viral around the world.
Now, Lamine has revealed the fascinating backstory behind why the photograph took so long to surface.
Messi and Yamal met at the World Cup. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
In an interview with The Guardian (h/t Diario SPORT ), Yamal explained that he deliberately asked his father to hold off on sharing the image, wary of the inevitable comparisons with Messi.
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