Viral Throwback of Lionel Messi Holding Baby Lamine Yamal Returns Before Spain-Argentina World Cup Final
Lionel Messi's baby Lamine Yamal photo resurfaces as Argentina reach a record seventh World Cup final against two-time finalists Spain.
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Lionel Messi holding baby Lamine Yamal (Image: Instagram/@fubiz)
An iconic photograph of Lionel Messi holding and bathing baby Lamine Yamal has gone viral again after Spain and Argentina officially booked their places in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Argentina earned its spot in Sunday’s title match with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over England in the semifinal on Wednesday. The win set up a final against Spain on July 19. The matchup will see 39-year-old Messi face 19-year-old Yamal for the first time in a competitive match.
The widely shared image dates back to 2007, when Messi was a 20-year-old Barcelona player, and Yamal was just five months old. The photographs were taken for a charity calendar organized by the Catalan newspaper Diario Sport in partnership with UNICEF.
The photos returned to the spotlight in 2024 after Yamal’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, posted one of them on Instagram with the caption, “The beginning of two legends.” The image quickly spread across social media, with many users questioning whether it had been created using artificial intelligence before the Associated Press confirmed the photographs were authentic.
The photoshoot happened after Yamal’s family won a UNICEF raffle in the Roca Fonda neighborhood of Mataró, where they lived at the time. The prize allowed the family to take part in the charity calendar session with a Barcelona player at Camp Nou.
Freelance photographer Joan Monfort photographed the session, which also included Yamal’s mother, Sheila Ebana. Nearly 19 years later, Messi and Yamal are set to meet on the pitch for the first time in the biggest match of international football.
Yamal made his Barcelona debut at 15 years, 9 months and 16 days, younger than Messi was when he debuted for the club. He has since helped Spain win UEFA Euro 2024 and has played a key role in the country’s run to the 2026 World Cup final.
Spain and Argentina prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final
Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final will bring together the reigning World Cup champions and the reigning European champions. Argentina won the Copa America back in 2024 when they beat Colombia in the final. Meanwhile, Spain knocked out England 2-1 in the championship match for the Euros, also the same year.
Argentina advanced after its comeback win over England and will attempt to add another major international title under Lionel Scaloni. Spain reached the final by defeating France 2-0, extending its unbeaten run in major tournaments under head coach Luis de la Fuente.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will be played on Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium. Argentina will look to win back-to-back titles and their 4th overall. Meanwhile, Spain will look to win just their second title after winning it back in 2010 in South Africa.
Moreover, it will mark the first competitive meeting between Messi and Yamal after the pair unknowingly shared one of football’s most recognizable photographs nearly two decades ago.
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