Lamine Yamal (L) of Spain and Lionel Messi (R) of Argentina meet again before the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, 19 years after they first met for a UNICEF photo shoot. (Photo by Tom Weller/picture alliance via Getty Images)
dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
In 2007, a young Lionel Messi, then just 20, was photographed with a five-month-old Lamine Yamal for a UNICEF calendar. Whether the infant Yamal predicted a future meeting on the World Cup stage remains a mystery.
Messi And Yamal Will Meet In Sunday’s FIFA World Cup Final
This Sunday, the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final brings Argentina and Spain head-to-head. Messi, at 39, leads La Albiceleste, while Yamal shines as a right-winger for La Roja. Spain aims for its second World Cup victory since 2010, while Argentina seeks its fourth title and hopes to defend its championship.
Messi And Yamal Did Meet Back In 2007 With Yamal In A Tub
On July 16, as anticipation built for the impending clash following Argentina’s 2-1 semi-final win over England, UNICEF shared a nostalgic photo on social media:
The photo features a young Messi on the left, assisting Sheila Ebana, Yamal’s mother, with bathing baby Yamal in a small blue plastic tub. This charming snapshot quickly captured social media’s attention, going viral and prompting a memorable comment from Messi. Lizzy Becherano writing for ESPN quoted Messi expressing his amazement: “That photo is incredible. I took a picture with him when he was a baby … the fact that we’re both playing in the World Cup now is crazy.”
The Messi-Yamal Photo Was For A 2008 UNICEF Calendar
This memorable photo session, organized by FC Barcelona and UNICEF, was not a result of Yamal’s premature football skills. Instead, Yamal’s family won a raffle to pose with a Barcelona player for the 2008 UNICEF calendar, and Messi was the fortunate player. The photo graced the January page of the calendar, with half of the sales proceeds dedicated to UNICEF projects supporting children’s rights.
Yamal may not have taken a soccer ball from Messi that day, but according to Laia Ruich of UNICEF Catalan, he did capture Messi’s heart with his infectious smile. That same smile would later win over football fans worldwide.
Both Messi And Yamal Have Served As UNICEF Ambassadors
The photo shoot was not the only collaboration between Messi and Yamal with UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, which has provided global humanitarian aid since 1953. This includes immunization, disease prevention, nutritional support, sanitation, and disaster response.
Messi began his association with UNICEF in 2004, becoming a Goodwill Ambassador in 2010. His commitment was evident when he visited Haiti following the devastating earthquake. His prominence as an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has significantly raised awareness of global children’s health and welfare issues.
This year, Yamal, now 19, has joined Messi as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. So, had the infant Yamal proclaimed, “We will meet again,” it would have been a prescient statement on several occasions.
