From Bathtub to World Cup Final: The Incredible Story of Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal

A remarkable photograph from 2007, showing a young Lionel Messi giving a bath to a five-month-old baby, has resurfaced ahead of the World Cup final.

That baby was Lamine Yamal, now a Spanish football star who stands between Messi and a second consecutive World Cup trophy.

The image, taken in December 2007, has captivated the football world as Argentina and Spain prepare to face off for the sport's ultimate prize.

It captures a moment nearly two decades before the two would become adversaries on the grandest stage, sparking wonder at the hand of fate.

At the time, a long-haired, 20-year-old Messi was still establishing himself as a global force, while Yamal, his future opponent, had not yet learned to walk. The story behind the photo, however, is rooted in a marketing initiative by FC Barcelona.

The club, which featured the UNICEF logo on its jerseys, organised a raffle for a photo shoot with its rising star to raise money for the charity. The prize, part of a promotional calendar, was won by Lamine Yamal's family, who were local to Barcelona.

Photographer Joan Monfort recalled the moment in a 2024 interview with the Associated Press. "Messi is a pretty introverted guy, he’s shy," Monfort said.

"He was coming out of the locker room and suddenly, he finds himself in another locker room with a plastic tub full of water and a baby in it. It was complicated. He didn’t even know how to hold him at first."

Now a father of three, Messi, 39, has long since mastered both fatherhood and football. After leading Argentina to a thrilling 2-1 semi-final victory over England, he is on the verge of another historic achievement.

A win on Sunday would make Argentina the first nation to secure back-to-back World Cup titles since Brazil in 1962. Despite questions about his age, Lionel Messi has been a dominant force in the tournament, tying for the top scorer spot with eight goals.

He is also the World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 21 goals. While he did not score against England, his sublime 92nd-minute cross set up Lautaro Martinez's winning header, crushing English hopes.

While Lionel Messi has not publicly commented on the photo, Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, shared it during the European Championships two years ago, captioning it: "The beginning of two legends."

It was during that tournament that Lamine Yamal truly announced his arrival. After making his senior debut for Barcelona at 15 in 2023, he became Spain's youngest-ever player and goalscorer later that year. His stunning semi-final goal against France at the 2024 Euros helped propel Spain to the title.

"We are talking about 2007. Messi was only beginning at Barca then," Nasraoui reflected. "Destiny plays an important role in these things."

Yamal, who recently turned 19, has scored once in this World Cup but remains a pivotal player for Spain, who advanced to the final after a 2-0 victory over tournament favourites France.