A 2007 charity calendar photo of Lionel Messi with baby Lamine Yamal has resurfaced as the two prepare to face each other in the 2026 World Cup final, according to E! News.
In the image, Messi was a 19-year-old rising star at FC Barcelona, while Yamal was a 6-month-old child. UNICEF, which sponsored the calendar, confirmed that the photo is authentic.
According to the report, Barcelona players were paired with local children through a raffle for the shoot, and Messi was randomly matched with Yamal for the January photo. The picture shows Messi bathing the infant in a small plastic tub.
The connection has surprised even teammates and the photographer who captured the image, Joan Monfort, who said the moment feels hard to explain. Messi and Yamal are now set to meet again when the World Cup final takes place on July 19.
