You’ve probably seen it by now, but back in 2007, Barcelona star Lionel Messi took a photo of himself bathing a baby. I In Argentina the star will see that child again. Five months at that, it was in Spain rising star Lamine Yamal. On Sunday, nearly two decades later, they will meet in the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium between Spain and Argentina. A game that will not only decide the new world champions but also decide who will win the 2026 Ballon d’Or between Messi and Yamal. But first, how did Messi and Yamal end up together in that photo shoot?
The story behind the picture
It all started in the fall of 2007, when Diario Sport, a Catalan newspaper, partnered with UNICEF, one of Barcelona’s charity partners, to produce the 2008 calendar, a format that was very popular throughout Europe at the time. The idea was to shoot the first group photos with children from the Barcelona area. To make it happen, UNICEF created a competition in the Rocafonda area in the Spanish city of Mataró, near Barcelona, and Yamal’s parents participated and were chosen to be part of it.
“At that time, no one would have thought that this kid would become what he is now and you would never have known that Messi would become,” Joan Monfort, then a freelance photographer for the Associated Press, told The Athletic in a 2024 interview.
“We are talking about 2007. Messi was just starting at Barca at that time. Destiny plays an important role in these things. Messi is a naive, shy man. He was leaving the locker room and suddenly he found himself in another locker room with a plastic tub full of water and a child. It was complicated. He didn’t even know how to start holding him. At first it wasn’t difficult. But, little by little, it started to happen and in the end, a very beautiful picture.”
The photo went viral again in 2024 when Yamal’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, re-shared it on social media, telling a story and comparing his son to the Argentine legend.
“The beginning of two tales,” he wrote.
Still not sure? Even UNICEF took to social media on Thursday, posting a photo saying, “Yes, those photos you saw are real. More than 18 years ago, a child named Lamine Yamal and his mother Sheila met Lionel Messi in a fundraising photo shoot for UNICEF. Today, their success on the field inspires millions. Off the field, both Messi and Lamine use their voice Messi and Lamine.”
Messi vs. Lamine: Same story
It’s not just an accident with a picture. In Sunday’s game, there will be two of the biggest teams in the world with two world-class stars with the same story. Messi is from Rosario, Argentina and was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) at a young age and Barcelona decided to cover the cost of his treatment, around $1,000 a month. Messi moved to Barcelona where he started playing with La Masia, the Catalan club’s youth system and all eyes were on him from a very young age. Messi made his World Cup debut at the age of 18 In Germany 2006, Diego Armando Maradona watching from the stands. After nineteen years, Yamal, who is now 19 years old, will play in the World Cup final against Spain.
Yamal is from Mataró, a city near Barcelona and his story started at La Masia. His father is from there Morocco while his mother Sheila is from Equatorial Guinea. Yamal was eligible to represent Morocco through his father, Equatorial Guinea through his mother, or Spain, where he was born. In the end he chose to play for Spain. Like Messi, who made his name at Barcelona before leading Argentina to international glory in recent years after years of struggle, Yamal came from the club’s prestigious La Masia academy and is now a Barcelona and Spain national team player. Both players faced challenges early in their careers for different reasons, Yamal financially, but now they have the chance to make history again, each in their own way.
Spain’s World Cup history is short but unforgettable. After decades of disappointment, La Roja reached the final for the first time in 2010, beating the In the Netherlands to lift their first ever World Cup trophy. After sixteen years Spain returned to the finals, Yamal leading a new generation chasing a second star after winning Euro 2024, and Leo Messi will try to win back-to-back World Cups with Argentina, something that happened only twice in history before: Italy in 1934 and 1938 again. Brazil in 1958 and 1962, with a young Pelé playing a key role in both Selecao victories. No matter what happens, history will be written. The 2026 World Cup could not have an unusual ending.
