The iconic photograph is back in the spotlight
Just ahead of the FIFA World Cup final, the image of a 20-year-old Lionel Messi holding and bathing a five-month-old Lamine Yamal has once again gone viral across social media.
Photo Credit: Instagram
Xtra Time Web Desk
Just ahead of the FIFA World Cup final, the image of a 20-year-old Lionel Messi holding and bathing a five-month-old Lamine Yamal has once again gone viral across social media. For years, many questioned whether the photograph was real, with some even claiming it was fake or AI-generated. However, the story behind the image is completely authentic.
The photograph was taken in December 2007 during a charity photoshoot organized by UNICEF and the FC Barcelona Foundation. As part of the fundraising campaign, local families entered a raffle, and Lamine Yamal's parents were among the winners. By sheer coincidence, their infant son was paired with a young Lionel Messi, who was then just beginning to establish himself as one of Barcelona's brightest talents.
Years later, Yamal revealed that he had no idea the photograph even existed while growing up. It was his father who eventually told him the remarkable story behind the now-famous image.
Speaking about the frequent comparisons with Messi, the Spanish sensation said:
"Nobody dislikes being compared to the greatest footballer in history. But at the same time, such comparisons can become an obstacle because you can never become Messi."
While Messi has never publicly commented on the viral photograph itself, he has repeatedly praised Yamal's extraordinary talent. The Argentine legend has said that he sees glimpses of his younger self in the Spanish teenager and believes Yamal, despite his age, is already among the world's finest footballers.
Football often produces stories that seem too incredible to be true.
The baby Messi once cradled in his arms has now grown into the player many consider his biggest rival on the international stage. As Argentina prepare to face Spain in the FIFA World Cup final, the narrative has come full circle—Messi vs. Yamal.
And with that, the unforgettable photograph from 2007 has returned to capture the imagination of football fans around the world, once again setting social media ablaze.