A photograph of Lionel Messi bathing a four-month-old Lamine Yamal has gone viral again after Argentina's dramatic 2-1 victory over England secured a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain.
The image, first widely shared in 2024, has gained renewed attention as 39-year-old Messi prepares to face 19-year-old Yamal in Sunday's final, more than 18 years after the pair first appeared together.
The photographs were taken in December 2007 as part of a charity calendar organised by FC Barcelona and UNICEF. Messi, then a 20-year-old rising star beginning to establish himself in Barcelona's first team, was randomly paired with baby Yamal during a photoshoot at Camp Nou.
Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, and his family were selected through a UNICEF lottery involving families from Catalonia. As part of the charity initiative, Barcelona players posed with children to raise funds for vulnerable families.
At the time, few could have imagined the significance the images would later carry. Messi would go on to become one of the most decorated footballers in history, winning multiple Ballon d'Or awards, the FIFA World Cup and numerous club titles with Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina.
Yamal, meanwhile, has emerged as one of football's brightest young talents. After breaking a series of age-related records with Barcelona and Spain, he helped his country win UEFA Euro 2024 and has established himself as one of the world's leading young players.
The resurfaced photographs have become a symbol of football's changing generations, with the sport's established icon now preparing to face the teenager he unknowingly held as a baby nearly two decades ago.
Argentina reached the final after coming from behind to defeat England 2-1 in the semi-finals, while Spain secured their place by beating France. Sunday's final will be the first senior international meeting between Messi and Yamal, adding another remarkable chapter to a story that began with a charity photoshoot in Barcelona.
