Before they became World Cup rivals, Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal shared a bathtub moment, a rubber duck and one seriously prophetic photograph.
In 2007, a shy, 20-year-old Messi was photographed helping bathe six-month-old Yamal during a UNICEF charity shoot in Barcelona. Yamal’s family had landed a place in the campaign through a community raffle, with photographer Joan Monfort later recalling that Messi initially struggled to hold the baby.
The pictures remained tucked away for years, until Yamal’s father posted one in 2024 with the caption, “The beginning of two legends.” Fans were stunned to discover that the baby in Messi’s arms had grown up to become Spain’s teenage football sensation.
Now, 19 years later, Messi’s Argentina and Yamal’s Spain will face off in the FIFA World Cup final on July 20 in India.
Celeb fanfare at Argentina vs England semi final
The Argentina vs England semi-final on July 15 drew a star-studded crowd, with celebrities cheering from the stands.
