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Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal are set to face each other for the first time on the pitch when Argentina take on Spain in the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday in New Jersey. But their story began nearly two decades ago.
In 2007, a 20-year-old Messi took part in a UNICEF charity calendar photo shoot at Barcelona’s Camp Nou, where he was photographed holding and bathing a baby Yamal after the youngster’s family won a raffle.
The heartwarming images resurfaced during Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph and have gained fresh significance ahead of the World Cup final. Yamal’s father even shared one of the photos on Instagram with the caption: “The beginning of two legends.”
The photo shoot, organized by Catalan newspaper Diario Sport and UNICEF, was captured by photographer Joan Monfort, who recalled that the shy Messi initially did not know how to hold the baby.
Now, 19-year-old Yamal has emerged as one of football’s brightest stars, while 39-year-old Messi continues to add to his legendary career. Their first competitive meeting will come on the sport’s biggest stage, with the World Cup trophy on the line.