The photo, which has gone viral across the internet, captures a moment from 2007: a 20-year-old Lionel Messi helps the mother of five-month-old Lamine Yamal, Sheyla Ebana, bathe the baby in a small blue plastic tub.
The snapshot was taken in a locker room at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona for a UNICEF charity calendar. The project was organized in collaboration with FC Barcelona and the newspaper Diario Sport, with half of the proceeds from sales going to help children.
The photographer was Joan Monfort. According to him, baby Yamal immediately charmed Messi with his smile.
UNICEF officially confirmed the authenticity of the images: "Yes, those photos you've seen are real. More than 18 years ago, a baby named Lamine Yamal and his mother Sheyla met Lionel Messi at a photoshoot for UNICEF."
Recently, Messi himself reacted to the viral picture. "This photo is incredible," he said. "I took a picture with him when he was a baby... it's crazy that we are both now playing in a World Cup final."
Today, both footballers are UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors. They use their platforms to support children around the world.
The snapshot surfaced online shortly before the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain. What makes this photograph so captivating almost two decades later?
The story shows how a chance encounter at a charity shoot connected two generations of football stars and reminded us of the power of simple gestures.
