Photo credit: Getty images
Lionel Messi has shared the story behind the viral photograph of him holding and bathing a baby Lamine Yamal, saying neither of them could have imagined the image would one day become one of football's most talked-about moments.
The photo, taken in 2007 during a UNICEF charity calendar shoot involving Barcelona players, resurfaced last year as Yamal's career took off. With the teenage sensation becoming one of Spain and Barcelona's biggest stars, the image quickly spread across social media, with many calling it a symbolic passing of the torch.
Speaking about the photograph for the first time, Messi admitted he was just as surprised by its popularity as everyone else.
"The truth is it's a crazy photo," Messi said. "It was a coincidence."
The Argentina captain explained that the shoot was arranged as part of a charity initiative, with Barcelona players paired with families taking part in the campaign. At the time, he was still establishing himself in the first team, while Yamal was only a baby.
Messi said there was nothing unusual about the photoshoot when it happened, and it wasn't until years later that the image took on a completely different meaning.
The photograph resurfaced in 2024 after Yamal enjoyed a breakthrough season with Barcelona and played a key role in Spain's European Championship triumph. Fans were quick to point out the remarkable link between one of football's greatest players and a teenager already being tipped as one of the sport's brightest talents.
Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, also helped bring the picture back into the spotlight after sharing it online with the caption, "The beginning of two legends." The post quickly went viral, drawing millions of views and sparking conversations across the football world.
While many supporters have described the image as fate, Messi insists it was simply the result of chance.
"It was a coincidence," he repeated, brushing aside suggestions that anyone could have predicted what the future held.
