Messi addresses viral baby photo with Lamine Yamal

sportsJul 19, 2026365,553

Photographer Joan Monfort said Lionel Messi recently commented on the 2007 charity calendar photo that shows a teenage Messi bathing an infant who grew up to be Spain forward Lamine Yamal. Monfort told The Associated Press he took the images for a Sport and UNICEF calendar after Yamal’s mother won a local raffle in Mataró and that he had not recalled the shoot until Yamal’s father shared a picture during Euro 2024, which drew widespread attention. Messi, speaking in Spanish, called the photo "crazy," praised Yamal as "one of the best players in the world right now," and wished the 19-year-old "the best of luck" ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain in the United States. Monfort said interest in his photos has surged again with the final looming and that media outlets have sought the images while they have circulated online without consistent credit or compensation. Spain midfielder Mikel Merino said he initially thought the picture was AI and called the coincidence "unbelievable," adding hope that both players would deliver a great final.

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani

@mayor.nyc.gov

Nineteen years ago, Lionel Messi bathed a baby named Lamine Yamal for a charity calendar. Some call it football's most famous blessing. Others say it sounds like the plot of the perfect movie. Tomorrow, we find out how it ends at the NYNJ Stadium.

413810h ago

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani492

Before the final chapter is written, join us live for the last World Cup Morning Pitch for the weather, traffic, and transit updates you need before kickoff. The final Morning Pitch streams at 8:30 AM on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. See you there.

Rob Delaney151

Bill Paxton bathed me as a baby and now I’m an #actor

Huggy Kitty Cat25

I think that Lamine needs to symbolically bathe or baptize Messi somehow to complete the circle of life.

Darlene Hastings9

I watched Messi. Very very talented player !

nydeliveryguy.bsky.social6

I dunno man sounds kind of creepy to me

ROCKY MOUNTAIN VIEWS6

Now parents are lining up with their boy babies to have Lionel Messi give them a bath.

Quoting this

🏳️‍⚧️ JANE AUSTEN SUGRAÑES 🥄57

He visto la foto rulando por ahí y ni caso porque creía que era IA. Cómo nos está estropeando la vida el inventito ese. Está matando nuestra capacidad de asombro por desconfianza.

Daniel Radosh18

I like this guy but I don't believe anyone has said this sounds like the plot of the perfect movie.

Lisa Diedrich16

I'm here for Mamdani as midwife to a new masculinity.

Andy Tulin (Subscribe to The Post Presence version)9

Magic Johnson ass skeet from my Mayor (complimentary)

Christopher Crawford6

First skeet I've seen that is goober-adjacent from this dude. bsky.app/profile/mayo...

gal dente 🍝6

ah, the Skye Blue and Jon Moxley of football #AEW

Sarah Karlin-Smith4

NJ would like a word about the stadium location.

Banksta4

I can’t wait. ⚽️ 🥅

atomic bog4

dork ass mayor and comms team (complimentary)

sasha (they/them)3

Zo you're killing me man you cannot possibly be rooting for Argentina

Rodger Sherman

@rodger.bsky.social

How is Lionel Messi going to be able to focus on the World Cup Final knowing his team is about to fall even farther behind Nashville SC in the Supporters’ Shield race

379Yesterday

fatassery.bsky.social14

As they say in Nashville and Argentina, it's about tradition not race

vince | World Cup Watcher9

The supporter's shield? I'm sure his mind is completely occupied with the Leagues Cup by now.

Mark Sanders9

These are the hard hitting questions that the lame stream sports media is afraid to ask

Colectable6

Especially with Nashville getting Tunisian and Senegalese reinforcements!

🟡 Parkins 🔵1

If he could count he’d be very upset

The Athletic

@theathletic.com

Lionel Messi helped bathe a five-month-old Lamine Yamal as part of a charity photoshoot back in December 2007. It is such an extraordinary coincidence that it scarcely feels believable, Messi admitted on Friday. nyti.ms/4wPhn9A

284Yesterday

Primary Maria Cantwell (respectfully)8

The first time I saw this I thought it was a shitpost, this is nuts

8647Russ5

More Messi fluffing. Sweet. Go SPAIN!

Jason Westrope4

This does not improve Messi’s legacy.

PPG14

This is some weird shit

Steve Gray3

Yamal doesn't look happy about this strange bloke touching him up.

FC3

Lionel Messi bathing Lamine Yamal is like a Law and Order SVU storyline

Quoting this

JT Jag (Support Unions)2

Earnest question, how much will Lamine's transfer value improve in the next window *purely* because of the exposure from this story? He's a great player in his own right, but this weird destiny-matchup thing has high-level executives talking about him too, not just fans

Warren Wells, AICP

@warrenjwells.bsky.social

How is it a real story that there was a photoshoot of Lionel Messi holding Lamine Yamal as a literal baby? apnews.com/article/mess...

219Yesterday

Mik Duffy.10

Insane Bronze Age myth vibes to this whole thing.

Antoine 🐜3

Harry Kane with David Beckham, 2005.The Mascot and the Maestro: Harry Kane and David Beckham (2005).

slodude.bsky.social3

After seeing him brown nosing Trump, I am disgusted by this human being. As many are.

rbsnst.bsky.social2

What a story………life has so many interesting twists and turns

Ariaa®

@ariaa.bsky.social

Lamine Yamal is 19 He wears the #19 World Cup final is on the 19th Yamal will play Messi 19 yrs after Messi bathed him in iconic photo shoot Messi wore 19 back then. #WorldCup2026 #weirdstats

183Yesterday

Aurelius1

And there is less than a 19% chance that I will watch the game! Amazing!

Quoting this

theclevermonkey.bsky.social2

The Matrix has dementia and has forgotten the stories and facts it created the last 19 years. Very glitchy all of the sudden.

The Guardian

@theguardian.com

God’s will? Destiny? Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal, that photo and the World Cup final

40Yesterday

Rosario YD [#JB17]1

Yamal will school his fascist foe on Sunday, mark my words.

CNN

@cnn.com

The connection between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal goes beyond the baby bathing photoshoot, and it has a lot to do with the number 19. CNN's Don Riddell breaks it down.

38Yesterday

Kat 🕊️

@smith83k.bsky.social

Lionel Messi once held baby Lamine Yamal in his arms. Now they will battle for the World Cup title apnews.com/article/mess...

1523h ago

tamara nopper

@tamaranopper.bsky.social

Lamine Yamal was spotted at a halal cart in NYC. Okay, I’m rooting for Spain.

2211h ago

AFT

@aft.org

This is amazing. Who will go home with the trophy? Argentina or Spain? apnews.com/article/mess...

11Yesterday

Fabrizio Romano (MIRROR)

@fabrizioromano.yopro20.com

❤️ Leo Messi: “That picture with Lamine… now we are facing each other in a final after a photo was taken of us when he was a baby, it's just insane!”. “We'll try to put on a good match, but I hope he and his team don't put on a good one”.

15Yesterday

Quoting this

thursday3

i am way too high for this

Los Angeles Times

@latimes.com

Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, stars of iconic photo shoot, to battle for World Cup crown

13Yesterday

Chicago Tribune

@chicagotribune.com

Images of a 20-year-old Lionel Messi and an infant Lamine Yamal have become the most talked about — and gawked about — thing in the run-up to Sunday’s World Cup final, where Messi’s Argentina will play Yamal’s Spain for the biggest trophy in soccer.

1511h ago

Jonathan Tannenwald

@jtannenwald.bsky.social

As this World Cup comes to an end, its legacy in the U.S. is beginning. One part is already clear: global soccer stars have become household names here like never before. Not just Messi and Ronaldo, but Mbappé, Yamal, Haaland, Kane, and Bellingham. They know it, too, and are embracing it:

1521h ago

Dagger

@daggerwashere.bsky.social

If I'm not mistaken baby Yamal splashed some water and Messi threw himself on the ground clutching his knee.

16Yesterday

3 sources

abc.net.auMeet Lamine Yamal, the Spanish prince set to claim his World Cup kingdom nypost.comLionel Messi, Lamine Yamal colliding in World Cup final is glimpse of soccer’s present, future chicagotribune.comLionel Messi once held baby Lamine Yamal in his arms. Now they will battle for the World Cup title.

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Messi addresses viral baby photo with Lamine Yamal

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