Messi held Lamine Yamal as a baby; photo resurfaces ahead of World Cup final

sportsJul 18, 2026315,818

A 2007 charity photo taken by Joan Monfort shows then-20-year-old Lionel Messi bathing 6-month-old Lamine Yamal in the Camp Nou dressing room during a calendar shoot for Sport and UNICEF. Monfort said he did not think much of the session until years later when the image took on new meaning as Yamal rose through Barcelona’s ranks. Yamal’s father posted the picture during the 2024 European Championship and the image drew widespread attention then. Now the image has resurfaced again as Argentina and Spain prepare to meet in the World Cup final on Sunday, setting up a match between Messi and the 19-year-old Yamal. Messi called the photo “crazy” and wished Yamal the best, noting the improbability of facing a player who had been a baby in his arms. Monfort said the coincidence has made him question destiny, and he reported renewed global interest in the pictures because the final is in the United States.

Nick Kristof

@nickkristof.bsky.social

How cool that soccer greats Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal met when the latter was 5 months old. Messi was a young Unicef ambassador and Yamal was, er, having a bath. Now Yamal is also a Unicef ambassador. Two soccer giants helping the world's kids!

2911Yesterday

Syd Barhey Esq. FCA. #FBPE46

It'd be interesting to listen in on a political conversation between those two ...... Yamal is a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause whereas Messi is an Israeli sympathiser. I've very quickly gone from huge respect for Messi, to none at all I'm afraid.

aiteall.bsky.social39

Messi is now, shamefully, a Trump whisperer.

Beatriz 🤍🩵🤍🐈‍⬛🔻🇵🇸🇱🇧25

Messi sonriéndole a un asesino de niñas y Lamine apoyando la causa Palestina. Creo que no se parecen.

Gary Knowles16

I'm a bit weirded out by this whole photo shoot.

Ernesto16

Before & After #WeAreMessi #WorldCup #LamineYamal #TeamMessi

Pilthy Figsty15

I wonder how Messi squares his support of Unicef with his support of Israel which actively seeks out Palestinian children to massacre.

Quoting this

Waitman Wade Beorn, PhD, FRHistS11

Lamine Yamal was created when he was annointed by the GOAT!

A. Rascal3

the hug right after the match is over is going to be something

Professa Murray

@kalimurray.bsky.social

Lamine Yamal decided then and there as Lionel Messi bathed him, to take revenge.

1574Yesterday

Professa Murray71

Nobody, Nobody puts Lamine Yamal in a bathtub.

Kay Cook (and cats)44

If Spain wins, I want a calendar shoot where Yamal bathes Messi. Circle of life ⚽️

Mir Bahmanyar20

Frankly this photo is a bit creepy...

Professa Murray18

It was a UNICEF calendar shot to support refugees. A pretty interesting story in a globalized Spain.

Dagger16

If I'm not mistaken baby Yamal splashed some water and Messi threw himself on the ground clutching his knee.

Elaine Mejia8

And Messi is older than Yamal's dad. This WC has been weird on so many levels.

Quoting this

East Oregon Lawyer2

I think he and his little brother kinda look alike. It's cute.

Colonel Q

@lowqualityregen.bsky.social

Okay, so this is crazy. 🤯 In Event Horizon, a film from 1997, Sam Neill requested that the Australian flag on his character's uniform be replaced with a photo of Lionel Messi bathing the baby Lamine Yamal, the way he thought it should look in 2047! 👏👏👏

313Yesterday

uta-reinke.bsky.social4

The photo was taken in 2007 for UNICEF…

Joey Go Fast2

You have it backwards. He requested a photo of Lamine Yamal bathing the old man Lionel Messi. The way he thought it would look in 2047. Unfortunately they were pressed for time and settled for this one.

Carmine Bello2

Zoom in. This looks plainly Photoshoped, and not even done well.

Quoting this

Colonel Q16

When you make a joke on Bluesky

Rodger Sherman

@rodger.bsky.social

How is Lionel Messi going to be able to focus on the World Cup Final knowing his team is about to fall even farther behind Nashville SC in the Supporters’ Shield race

3176h ago

fatassery.bsky.social12

As they say in Nashville and Argentina, it's about tradition not race

Mark Sanders9

These are the hard hitting questions that the lame stream sports media is afraid to ask

vince | World Cup Watcher7

The supporter's shield? I'm sure his mind is completely occupied with the Leagues Cup by now.

Colectable4

Especially with Nashville getting Tunisian and Senegalese reinforcements!

🟡 Parkins 🔵1

If he could count he’d be very upset

The Athletic

@theathletic.com

Lionel Messi helped bathe a five-month-old Lamine Yamal as part of a charity photoshoot back in December 2007. It is such an extraordinary coincidence that it scarcely feels believable, Messi admitted on Friday. nyti.ms/4wPhn9A

2188h ago

Primary Maria Cantwell (respectfully)7

The first time I saw this I thought it was a shitpost, this is nuts

8647Russ3

More Messi fluffing. Sweet. Go SPAIN!

Jason Westrope3

This does not improve Messi’s legacy.

Steve Gray2

Yamal doesn't look happy about this strange bloke touching him up.

PPG12

This is some weird shit

FC2

Lionel Messi bathing Lamine Yamal is like a Law and Order SVU storyline

Warren Wells, AICP

@warrenjwells.bsky.social

How is it a real story that there was a photoshoot of Lionel Messi holding Lamine Yamal as a literal baby? apnews.com/article/mess...

17412h ago

Mik Duffy.9

Insane Bronze Age myth vibes to this whole thing.

rbsnst.bsky.social2

What a story………life has so many interesting twists and turns

slodude.bsky.social1

After seeing him brown nosing Trump, I am disgusted by this human being. As many are.

The Guardian

@theguardian.com

God’s will? Destiny? Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal, that photo and the World Cup final

365h ago

Rosario YD [#JB17]1

Yamal will school his fascist foe on Sunday, mark my words.

Zi Xu

@ziqqix.bsky.social

>messi takes a photo for a charity event at the start of his career nearly 20 years ago with a random baby >baby grows up to be lamine yamal, who is now playing in his first World Cup game >final game will be between Spain and Argentina >messi and yamal will face off

34Yesterday

Zi Xu13

Will the “son” usurp the “father,” as is his birthright… his destiny??

Kim Sokol (Open for Commissions/Freelance!)8

Thank u for the explainer I’m so out of touch I was squinting at it like “…Matt Mercer??”

Orlando B ✍️ COMMS OPEN1

Add in the fact that somehow Yamal became the new crown jewel of La Masia, Barcelona's academy, taking over a role that was defined by Messi and it's even wilder

korvroffe1

Yeah if this isn't proof of some cabal running the show behind the scenes I don't know what is (just kidding but seriously the whole thing is just so amazingly weird and random)

Quoting this

Ghostdog(Slowpoke de incognito)2

No sé si es verdad, pero sin duda le mete drama e intensidad. Si Messi empieza a dar chute de fuego sería como en Inazuma Eleven.

CNN

@cnn.com

The connection between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal goes beyond the baby bathing photoshoot, and it has a lot to do with the number 19. CNN's Don Riddell breaks it down.

326h ago

Mitch🦦

@mitchpeotter.bsky.social

The Messi and baby Lamine photo still rattles me, insane that’s real

27Yesterday

Daramola

@izdaramola.bsky.social

The Messi - Lamine Yamal photo is one of the better arguments for the idea that life is scripted and planned and free will is imaginary

24Yesterday

AFT

@aft.org

This is amazing. Who will go home with the trophy? Argentina or Spain? apnews.com/article/mess...

1114h ago

Fabrizio Romano (MIRROR)

@fabrizioromano.yopro20.com

❤️ Leo Messi: “That picture with Lamine… now we are facing each other in a final after a photo was taken of us when he was a baby, it's just insane!”. “We'll try to put on a good match, but I hope he and his team don't put on a good one”.