Lamine Yamal was only five months old when he first encountered Lionel Messi. The meeting took place thanks to a partnership between the Barcelona foundation and Diario Sport for a 2008 charity calendar benefiting UNICEF. Joan Monfort captured a young Messi, aged 20, in a heartwarming moment as he bathed baby Yamal along with Yamal’s mother, Sheila Ebana. The photograph dates back to December 2007, a time before Messi, now 39, achieved recognition as one of football’s greatest players. Today, Yamal, aged 19, has followed in Messi’s footsteps by joining Barcelona.
This photograph has gained viral status as anticipation builds for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup final. Messi and Argentina are set to face Yamal and Spain in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 19, marking the first time these two players will compete against each other.
At Fanatics Fest on Friday, July 17, Tom Brady questioned Messi about the photograph. Messi shared his admiration for Yamal, stating, “Lamine is a huge player that I followed a lot because he plays in a club that I love, and I wish him always the best. He is one of the leaders worldwide at 19 years of age. He has his whole career ahead of him. He has a great opportunity to make history, which we intend to give our maximum so that it’s not this time.”
Reflecting on the photograph, Messi remarked, “That photo is crazy because, well, it’s life. I had a photo with him when he was a baby, and for us to be facing each other in a World Cup — like I said before, it’s craziness. But he’s one of the best in the world at the moment, without a doubt, and I wish the best of luck because his well-being will be Barcelona’s well-being as well.”
This upcoming match marks Messi’s third World Cup final appearance. He previously lost to Germany in 2014 and triumphed over France in an unforgettable match in 2022. Yamal, in contrast, has reached the World Cup final with Spain in his debut tournament.
Throughout the tournament, Messi has showcased his incredible skills with eight goals and four assists. He has become the all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with 21 goals and holds the record for World Cup assists with 12. Although Yamal has scored only one goal, his influence on the field is undeniable each time he participates.
Argentina is striving to become the first men’s World Cup champions to secure back-to-back titles since Brazil achieved this feat in 1958 and 1962. Meanwhile, Spain’s team, known as La Roja, aims to claim their first men’s World Cup title since their victory in 2010.