By Didi Ruth
National News – The viral photograph showing Argentine football legend Lionel Messi bathing a baby Lamine Yamal has been confirmed as authentic, ending widespread speculation that it was generated by artificial intelligence or digitally altered.
The image, taken in 2007 during a UNICEF charity photoshoot organised by the FC Barcelona Foundation and Catalan newspaper SPORT, has resurfaced ahead of Sunday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 final, where Messi’s Argentina will face Yamal’s Spain.
The photograph captures a 19-year-old Messi gently bathing three-month-old Yamal during a fundraising campaign for UNICEF. At the time, neither those involved nor the photographers could have imagined the historic significance the image would later hold.
Photographer Joan Monfort, who took the now-famous photograph, described the moment as nothing short of extraordinary. “It was no coincidence; it was a miracle,” Monfort told FIFA.
The annual charity calendar featured Barcelona players posing with children to raise funds for UNICEF. According to organisers, Yamal’s family earned the opportunity after winning a raffle through a UNICEF community project in Rocafonda, Mataró.
Although the baby could have been paired with any Barcelona star—including Ronaldinho, Xavi Hernández, Thierry Henry, Andrés Iniesta or Carles Puyol—the draw matched him with Messi.
Yamal, born on July 13, 2007, attended the photoshoot with his mother, Sheila, on October 31 that year inside the Camp Nou dressing room.
Oriol Canals, who worked in SPORT‘s marketing department at the time, recalled that Messi appeared nervous while holding the infant. “Messi was as stiff as a broom. I suppose that was because he’d never held a baby before,” Canals said.
Monfort also remembered the Argentine’s shy personality during the session, noting that Messi initially looked terrified by the unusual setup.
The image remained largely forgotten until 2024, when Yamal’s father shared it on social media shortly before the teenager inspired Spain to victory at UEFA Euro 2024. It quickly went viral, with many social media users questioning whether it was genuine.
Canals said the rediscovery of the photograph felt unbelievable. “It’s one of those gifts life hands you. It would be like Michael Jordan bathing LeBron James. It’s absolutely incredible,” he said.
Monfort added that no one involved in the shoot could have predicted that the two individuals in the photograph would one day meet as rivals in football’s biggest match. “It was like writing history before it happened,” he said.
With Messi now 39 and Yamal 19, Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final represents an extraordinary full-circle moment, nearly two decades after their first meeting.
UNICEF has also reaffirmed the authenticity of the photograph, explaining that it was taken during a fundraising campaign supporting the organisation and the FC Barcelona Foundation.
In a statement accompanying the image, UNICEF noted that both Messi and Yamal now serve as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, using their global influence to advocate for children’s rights.
The organisation said that while the pair will compete on opposite sides in the World Cup final, they remain united in promoting the welfare of children around the world.
