- Lionel Messi once bathed baby Lamine Yamal for a photoshoot, and they will now meet again in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, July 19.
- The two first crossed paths nearly 19 years ago in Spain, when Messi, then 20 and playing for FC Barcelona, gave baby Yamal a bath and was photographed doing it.
- The images of this intergenerational encounter first emerged in the summer of 2024, as Yamal was making headlines as the breakout star of Spain's victorious UEFA European Championship campaign.
- Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, posted a crop of one of the photos from the shoot, stating, 'The beginning of two legends.'
- Freelance photographer Joan Monfort was hired to snap portraits of various Barça players with children for a 2008 charity calendar organized by Diario Sport and UNICEF.
- Messi joined 5-month-old Yamal and his mother in the away team locker room at Camp Nou in the fall of 2007.
- Nearly 19 years later, Messi and Yamal will meet again on the pitch at New York-New Jersey Stadium, having never played against each other before.
- Yamal made his debut for Barcelona at the age of 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days, a record, and has shone in the 2026 World Cup.
- Messi scored 672 goals with Barcelona and won the World Cup in 2022, while Yamal has won three LaLiga titles and the Euro 2024 trophy.
- Messi praised Yamal, stating, 'There's no doubt, for me he's the best,' highlighting the new generation of footballers.
Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal will meet on the pitch for the first time in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, nearly 19 years after their memorable charity photoshoot. In 2007, a young Messi, then 20, bathed 5-month-old Yamal for a UNICEF calendar.127910
The encounter was captured by photographer Joan Monfort, who recalled Messi's initial shyness. 'He entered the changing room to find a plastic bathtub filled with water and a baby inside,' Monfort said. Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, shared the photo, calling it 'the beginning of two legends.'56
Since then, Yamal has made a name for himself, debuting for FC Barcelona at just 15 years and 9 months, breaking Messi's record. He has won three LaLiga titles and the Euro 2024 trophy, and has been a standout in the World Cup, helping Spain reach the final.4
Messi, now 39, praised Yamal, stating, 'There's no doubt, for me he's the best.' As they prepare to face off, the world watches to see if Yamal can step into Messi's legendary shoes.
This final marks a significant moment in football history, as two generations collide on the grandest stage.
“The UK government declared the Falkland Islands 'definitely ours' after Argentina players celebrated their semifinal win over England with a territorial banner. Political leaders from multiple parties called for FIFA to investigate or bar the players from the final.”
BBC
