Messi and Yamal's unlikely connection resurfaces ahead of World Cup final

A photograph taken in 2007 of a teenage Lionel Messi bathing a baby boy in a plastic tub has become a talking point ahead of the World Cup final, where Argentina led by Messi will meet Spain, whose forward Lamine Yamal was the infant in the picture. The image was part of a charity calendar produced by a local newspaper and UNICEF, and was largely forgotten until Yamal’s breakout at the 2024 European Championship prompted his father to share it on social media. Since then, the photo has been widely circulated online and requested by media outlets.

Photographer Joan Monfort, a freelance photojournalist, said the sudden interest “has exploded all over the world, and the fact that the final is in the U.S. has given it the extra push.” He added that the situation feels “better than any film script.” Monfort, who grew up in Barcelona, said he is torn between supporting Messi, whom he calls “the best player of all time,” and Yamal, who he says “represents a new, diverse Spain.”

Messi left Barcelona in 2021 after the club’s financial difficulties, while Yamal emerged as a Barcelona star two years later. The two now stand on opposite sides of football’s biggest stage, a coincidence that has captured the imagination of fans worldwide.