FIFA and UNICEF have confirmed that the widely circulated photograph of Lionel Messi bathing baby Lamine Yamal is authentic and not generated by artificial intelligence or digitally manipulated.
The image, which has repeatedly gone viral on social media, was taken during a charity photoshoot in 2007 organised by the FC Barcelona Foundation and Catalan newspaper *SPORT* in support of UNICEF.
HOW THE PHOTO CAME ABOUT
The photoshoot was part of an annual UNICEF fundraising calendar featuring FC Barcelona first-team players posing with children. Yamal’s family secured their spot through a UNICEF community project in Rocafonda, Mataró. A raffle then paired the infant Lamine with Lionel Messi — though the family could just as easily have been matched with stars like Ronaldinho, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Henry, Abidal, or Valdés.
Yamal’s mother, Sheila, brought her son to Camp Nou for the 30-minute session. Photographer Monfort used a plastic duck and household items to help create a natural setting. According to those present, a then-19-year-old Messi appeared visibly uncomfortable holding the baby.
“Messi was as stiff as a broom. I suppose that was because he’d never held a baby in his life,” Monfort recalled.
He also described the young Messi as extremely shy and introverted at the time.
FROM OBSCURITY TO GLOBAL PHENOMENON
The photo remained largely unknown for years until Yamal’s father, Mounir, shared it on social media in 2024, shortly before the teenager’s breakout performance at UEFA EURO 2024.
Its resurgence has stunned even those involved in the original shoot. Former SPORT marketing official Oriol Canals described the moment as “incredible” and likened it to “Michael Jordan bathing LeBron James.”
“It’s one of those gifts that life hands you,” Canals said. “Nobody could have imagined that Messi would become one of the greatest athletes in history and that Lamine would win the EURO at 17 before facing him in a World Cup final at 19.”
A HISTORIC WORLD CUP FINAL
The image has gained renewed significance ahead of Sunday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where 39-year-old Messi’s Argentina will face 19-year-old Yamal’s Spain in their first-ever competitive encounter.
Monfort called the occasion poetic:
“That photo is etched in my soul. It was a miracle back then and remains so nearly 20 years on… And to think they are going to line up in a World Cup final, one at 39 and the other aged 19, really is the cherry on the top.”
UNICEF has also reaffirmed the photo’s authenticity, noting that both Messi and Yamal are now UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors who use their platforms to advocate for children’s rights worldwide.
“Some stories only get better with time,” the organisation said. “When it comes to championing children’s rights, they’re on the same team.”