Is the photo of Lionel Messi bathing baby Lamine Yamal real? The story behind the viral image before the World Cup Final

Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal are set to command the spotlight in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final between Argentina and Spain. But long before they became the stars of the biggest match in football, the two were connected by a photograph that now feels almost too incredible to be true.

Just hours before the final, the image of a 20-year-old Messi bathing baby Lamine Yamal has gone viral once again. For years, many believed the photo was fake or even AI-generated. In reality, the story behind it is completely authentic—and every bit as remarkable as the careers both players have gone on to build.

Is the photo of Messi bathing Lamine Yamal real?

Yes. The photograph was taken in December 2007 as part of a charity calendar organized by UNICEF and the FC Barcelona Foundation.

The photographer behind the now-iconic image, Joan Monfort, explained that the session was part of a fundraising campaign in which local families entered a raffle. Lamine Yamal's parents were selected, and by pure coincidence, their baby son was paired with a young Lionel Messi, who was just beginning his rise to stardom at Barcelona.

At the time, no one could have imagined that the baby in Messi's arms would one day become one of the brightest stars in world football—or that the photograph itself would become one of the sport's most unforgettable images.

How old were Messi and Lamine Yamal?

When the photo was taken in 2007, Messi was 20 years old and emerging as Barcelona's next global superstar.

Lamine Yamal, meanwhile, was only a few months old, having been born in July 2007.

Lamine Yamal's reaction to the viral photo

The Spanish winger admitted he didn't even know the photograph existed for many years. It was his father who eventually told him about it, and once social media rediscovered the image, it quickly became a worldwide sensation.

"I don't think anyone minds being compared to the greatest player in history, but in the end those comparisons can hold you back because you'll never be him," Yamal said when asked about the constant comparisons with Messi.

What has Messi said about Lamine Yamal?

Although Lionel Messi has never publicly commented on that particular photo shoot, he has repeatedly praised the Spanish sensation.

The Argentina captain has said on several occasions that Lamine Yamal is one of the young players who reminds him most of his own early years and has already described him as one of the best players in the world despite his age.

Now, nearly two decades after that chance encounter, fate has brought them together once again. This time, it won't be for a charity calendar or a photo shoot—it will be on football's biggest stage, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy at stake.

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