Argentina pulled off another dramatic comeback, this time against England, to reach the World Cup final, where they will face Spain. Messi against Yamal, in a match with no tomorrow, likely the last dance for Argentina's GOAT with the national team. Facing him will be Barcelona's own wonder kid, Lamine Yamal, who at 19 is already capable of extraordinary things on the pitch.
With Sunday's final (19 July) approaching, one photograph keeps resurfacing, taken back in 2007, showing Messi holding a very young Yamal.
A charity calendar and a lucky draw
Back in 2007, a 20-year-old Messi, only just starting out on what would become one of football's greatest careers, took part in a photoshoot organised by the Barcelona Foundation together with UNICEF and the newspaper Diario Sport, for a charity calendar. Facing him was a six-month-old baby, Lamine Yamal.
The family of Spain's current star had been chosen through a raffle held in the Rocafonda neighbourhood of Mataró, where they lived at the time. The prize was a photoshoot with a first-team Barcelona player, and chance placed baby Yamal in Messi's arms.
Essas fotos do Lionel Messi com o Lamine Yamal bebê acaba de se tornar algumas das maiores fotos na história do futebol.
— DataFut (@DataFutebol) July 15, 2026
Loucura. pic.twitter.com/h0U9KPx4qF
The shoot was set up in the away dressing room at Camp Nou, with the young Argentine holding the baby in a plastic tub of water, producing one of the images that would only take on its full significance many years later.
Photographer Joan Monfort, who has described the shoot several times since, has recalled how awkward the young Messi seemed at the time. "He was very shy, and at first he didn't even know how to hold the baby," Monfort has said. Yamal's mother, Sheila Ebana, played a key role in helping Messi feel more at ease so the shoot for the 2008 calendar could be completed.
Lamine Yamal ketika ditanya soal foto viral saat Lionel Messi memandikan dirinya sewaktu ia masih bayi.
— Sambat Academy (@sambat_academy) July 14, 2026
👨🏻💼 Foto ini bisa saja jadi laga final Piala Dunia. Maksudku, ini luar biasa kalau dipikir-pikir.
👶🏽 Iya. Yah, aku rasa aku sudah sedikit tumbuh besar, dan Leo juga. Semoga… pic.twitter.com/a3eN6FHYU4
Nearly two decades on, that snapshot carries an entirely different meaning. Messi, one of the greatest footballers of all time, and Yamal, arguably the standout talent of the new generation, now meet as opponents in a World Cup final. A photograph that began as a small act of charity has become, without anyone intending it, one of the more remarkable stories world football has ever produced.
