Messi's 2007 photos with baby Lamine Yamal resurface before World Cup final

sportsJul 16, 2026211,491

Photographer Joan Monfort says he photographed a 20-year-old Lionel Messi bathing a five-month-old Lamine Yamal in December 2007 for a 2008 charity calendar organized by Barcelona’s club foundation and Diario Sport, with proceeds going to UNICEF and other Catalan charities. Monfort told The Athletic the shot was difficult because Messi was shy and the baby needed his mother Sheila Ebana present to settle him; Monfort said he tried to give families copies of their photos and recalled Yamal’s family travelled from Mataró for the shoot. Several images from that session, including one of Messi cradling Yamal in a towel, returned to public view during the 2024 European Championship after Yamal’s father shared them on social media. The Athletic and The New York Times note Messi later won eight Ballon d’Or awards and that Messi and Yamal will meet on the pitch for the first time in the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium. The New York Times piece was updated ahead of the final and quotes Monfort reflecting on the coincidence that both subjects became global stars.

Kashana

@kashana.blacksky.app

What would be funny would be if Spain won and Lamine Yamal ran up to Messi with a bucket and was like tables turned

8765h ago

Mike Boylan-Kolchin21

“Now it is you that is washed, grandpa”

🌈 Megs ✨7

Here's an article from the Athletic about the photoshoot. www.nytimes.com/athletic/561...

Matt McGowan4

Amazing. (Both the existence of the photo and your idea.)

Woj3

This twist is going to require a lot of serious research to have the right memes ready for whoever wins. Going to have to look all the way back to Greek mythology and some sordid ancient histories for this one.

snowyd70.bsky.social3

Lamine Yamal should bring a Palestinian flag with him too. Because of this.

Buncombe1

I like where this is going.

The Athletic

@theathletic.com

These two are about to face one another in the 2026 World Cup final. Lionel Messi x Lamine Yamal. nyti.ms/4psDTTo

1746h ago

Quoting this

Hustle Chillson10

Imagine if a photo of LeBron James bathing baby Luka Donĉić surfaced

Tim Faklis8

This being real blows my mind

Men in Blazers Media Network

@meninblazers.bsky.social

Does Article 27 have a clause requiring Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal to recreate this photo in the World Cup final? 🛁

1367h ago

BRAK AND BLUE3

that'd be yellow on Lamine Yamal for removing his shirt

Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist

@nameshiv.bsky.social

why the fuck was messi washing lamine yamal as a baby

1216h ago

Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist51

I didn't know footballers needed to work babysitting jobs

Norm Charlatan23

Some people trick-or-treat for UNICEF, others wash babies.

Steve Tallantyre11

Holding him by the ankle and dipping him in the River Styx.

Splunk8

It benefits Messi to bathe every baby in case one day they are An Enemy

DEF-G8

To ensure he knew where Lamine's Achilles heel would be.

Josiah Sutton5

It was some photoshoot for a charity calendar set up by Barcelona’s club foundation. Apparently a bunch of pictures with various Barça players hanging out with kids www.nytimes.com/athletic/561...

Chris Vannini

@chrisvannini.com

This is an actually real photo of Messi and Lamine Yamal, and now they face off in the World Cup final.

737h ago

Javier

@machomanla.bsky.social

The iconic photo of Lionel Messi giving Lamine Yamal a bath is a surreal, real-life "passing of the torch" moment. Taken in 2007 for a UNICEF charity calendar, a 20-year-old Messi bathed 5-month-old Yamal after Yamal's family won a local raffle in Mataró. Now both are playing for the World Cup.

197h ago

MadGreek 🧿19

It's a great story. Also: Yamal has since inherited Messi's legacy at the club, even taking over Barcelona's iconic No. 10 shirt ahead of the 2025–26 season.

Mlip2

What? This is like Michael Jordan giving LeBron a bath as a baby

MadGreek 🧿1

Yamal's mom had to intervene because a young Messi had no idea yet how to give a bath to a baby... he was a bit hesitant. ❤️

Citizen.Coping

@propcazhpm.bsky.social

When Joan Monfort took photos of Lionel Messi with a baby for a charity calendar almost 17 years ago, he knew that the long-haired young man would make it big in soccer. He could not have imagined that the little boy would as well. Lamine Yamalʻs dad shared the photos, they went viral around 2024.

96h ago

ABC News Australia

@news.abc.net.au

World Cup final: The story behind Lionel Messi's famous photo with a baby Lamine Yamal

113h ago

🌈 Megs ✨

@megshensley.bsky.social

Here's an article from the Athletic about the photoshoot. www.nytimes.com/athletic/561...

74h ago

Brian

@egan.ninja

A real picture of the top 2 players in the 2026 World Cup final, taken in 2007.

A 20-year old Lionel Messi bathes an infant Lamine Yamal in a photo taken in 2007

77h ago

Robert Mackey

@robertmackey.bsky.social

FC Barcelona did charity work for UNICEF, including 2007 calendar featuring Barcelona players with children from around the city. Messi was randomly matched with infant Lamine Yamal.

107h ago

Lee

@aliasmarionette.bsky.social

The World Cup final. (For those who don't know, these are real photos of a teenage Messi bathing Lamine Yamal, now his anointed successor.) #football

Messi with long hair bathing a baby boy in a tub. The baby has fat cheeks.

66h ago

lorem ipsum 🇧🇷🇺🇸

@whiskeynachos.bsky.social

This is real: Lio Messi bathing Lamine Yamal as a baby.

107h ago

Thomas

@thomasho.bsky.social

In 2007, Lionel Messi bathed a 5-month-old baby for a UNICEF charity photoshoot. That baby was Lamine Yamal. Nearly 20 years later, they will face each other in the World Cup final. Truth really is stranger than fiction 🤯

37h ago

Basketball Grapiko

@basketballupdates.bsky.social

It was prophesied nearly two decades ago. 🔥 19 years after Lionel Messi went on a photoshoot with a certain baby named Lamine Yamal, they cross paths in the World Cup finals -- Messi's last, and Yamal's first #FIFAWorldCup #WorldCup2026

55h ago

3 sources

theguardian.com‘The beginning of two legends’: Messi photos with baby Lamine Yamal go viral nytimes.comThe remarkable story of Lionel Messi’s meeting with a baby Lamine Yamal (Gift Article)bbc.comLamine Yamal: Barcelona winger set to be investigated over dwarfism row

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Messi's 2007 photos with baby Lamine Yamal resurface before World Cup final

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