A Fateful Encounter Begun in a Bathtub 19 Years Ago... Messi and Yamal Face Off in the World Cup Final

First Encounter at UNICEF Charity Calendar Shoot in 2007

20-year-old Messi Bathed Months-old Yamal in Barcelona

La Masia, Left Foot, and Barcelona’s Number 10: Striking Parallels

Final Showdown for World Cup Glory at 4 a.m. on the 20t

Argentina, led by Lionel Messi (39), and Spain, featuring Lamine Yamal (19), will face off in the final of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup. Amidst this, the special bond between the two players is attracting significant attention. Their connection dates back to their first encounter in September 2007 at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain. At that time, Messi, who was 20 years old, participated in a charity calendar photoshoot, holding and helping bathe a baby just a few months old. That baby was none other than Yamal, who would later grow into one of Spanish football’s brightest talents.

A photo taken by AP photographer Joan Monfort captured Messi washing the ambition in a plastic tub or carefully holding it in his arms. Photo by Joan Monfort, AP

The photoshoot was part of an annual charity event jointly organized by the Spanish sports daily “Diario Sport” and UNICEF. UNICEF held a lottery in Roca Fonda, Mataró, Catalonia—where the Yamal family lived—and the Yamals won the chance to take a photo with a Barcelona player. By coincidence, the player paired with the Yamal family was Messi.

In the photos taken by AP photographer Joan Monfort, Messi appears either bathing the baby with Yamal’s mother, Sheila Ebana, in a plastic tub or carefully cradling the infant in his arms. Monfort recalled that Messi, who was very shy at the time, initially struggled because he did not know how to hold a baby.

The long-forgotten photo resurfaced during Euro 2024. Yamal’s father posted the photo on social media with the caption “The start of two legends,” and once it was revealed that the baby was Yamal, the story went viral worldwide. At the time, football fans saw the picture as a symbolic moment foreshadowing the rise of a new star to follow in Messi’s footsteps.

However, nearly two years later, with the two now competing directly for the championship trophy in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup final, the photo is being revisited as one of the most astonishing “prophecy photos” in football history. AP also highlighted the final, remarking, “Two stars who took a photo together 20 years ago now meet again in the last match of the World Cup.”

Ramin Yamal scored his World Cup debut goal in the group stage against Saudi Arabia. If he plays in this final, at 19 years and 6 days old, he will become the third youngest player ever to appear in a World Cup final, following Pelé and Giuseppe Bergomi. UPI Yonhap News

Their football careers also share intriguing parallels. Both are predominantly left-footed and progressed through Barcelona’s famed youth academy, La Masia, before emerging as world-class forwards. Yamal now wears the iconic number 10 shirt at Barcelona. He led Spain to victory at Euro 2024 and was named the tournament’s best young player. In the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting, he finished second behind Ousmane Dembele. Now, with his sights set beyond European glory, he is determined to usher in his own era by lifting the World Cup.

Both players have showcased their presence during this tournament in different ways. Messi has scored 8 goals and registered 4 assists, tying with Kylian Mbappe for the top scorer position. In the semifinal against England, he assisted both of Argentina’s goals, leading to a 2-1 comeback win even without scoring. His World Cup career totals have thus increased to 21 goals and 12 assists.

Messi has scored 8 goals and provided 4 assists, sharing the top spot with Kylian Mbappe in scoring. In the semifinal against England, he led Argentina to a 2-1 comeback victory by assisting both goals without scoring himself. He also extended his World Cup career stats to 21 goals and 12 assists. Photo by EPA-Yonhap News

Yamal scored his World Cup debut goal in the group stage against Saudi Arabia and won a penalty with a breakthrough in the semifinal against France, helping Spain to a 2-0 victory. If he appears in the final, at 19 years and 6 days old, he will become the third youngest player ever to appear in a World Cup final, following Pelé and Giuseppe Bergomi.

The teams’ records also provide a striking contrast. Argentina has won all seven matches, scoring a tournament-high 19 goals. Spain, by comparison, has recorded 6 wins and 1 draw, conceding just 1 goal and demonstrating the tournament’s strongest defense. Argentina is seeking back-to-back World Cups for the first time since Brazil in 1958 and 1962, while Spain is aiming for its second championship, 16 years after its first in 2010. The final between Argentina and Spain will take place at 4:00 a.m. Korean time on July 20 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.