UNICEF has confirmed that widely shared photos of Lionel Messi bathing baby Lamine Yamal were taken during a charity photoshoot in Barcelona more than 18 years ago.
The images, which resurfaced and went viral during the 2024 European Championship that Yamal won with Spain, show a young Messi caring for the then five-month-old Yamal. According to UNICEF, the photos were captured in 2007 at Camp Nou as part of a fundraising campaign.
Yamal’s family had won a newspaper raffle to participate in the initiative, leading to the now-iconic moment.
UNICEF revisited the photos ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi’s Argentina will face Yamal’s Spain at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
“Yes, the images are authentic,” the organization stated, adding that both players now use their platforms as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors to advocate for children globally.
The match marks the first time Messi and Yamal will compete against each other on football’s biggest stage.
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