Argentina captain Lionel Messi has described the viral photo of himself bathing a six-month-old Lamine Yamal as "incredible," as the two prepare to face each other in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday.
Speaking at FIFA's Fanatics Fest in New York, Messi reflected on the iconic image, which was taken in 2007 as part of a charity calendar organized by FC Barcelona, UNICEF, and Spanish newspaper Sport.
"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," Messi said.
The famous photograph, captured by photographer Joan Monfort, has gained renewed global attention ahead of the final, with the 39-year-old Argentine set to face the 19-year-old Spanish sensation for the first time at international level.
Yes, those photos you’ve seen are real.
More than 18 years ago, a baby named Lamine Yamal and his mom Sheila met Lionel Messi at a UNICEF fundraising photoshoot.
Today, their achievements on the pitch inspire millions. Off the pitch, both Messi and Lamine Yamal use their voices… pic.twitter.com/TSoUPDxia2
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) July 16, 2026
Messi praised Yamal's remarkable rise, describing the Barcelona winger as one of the world's best players.
"He's one of the best in the world right now. I wish him luck because his success will be Barcelona's success, but we'll try to stop him from playing at his best. Spain has a great team, not just him. We have our own weapons too," Messi added.
"Lo de esa foto es una locura. Él era un bebé y ahora estamos los dos en una final de una Copa del Mundo".
Lionel Messi, sobre la histórica foto junto a Lamine Yamal tomada para UNICEF.pic.twitter.com/8TFlbtaqYS
— Pablo Giralt (@giraltpablo) July 18, 2026
The Argentine legend also called Yamal "a tremendous player and a global star," while acknowledging that the teenager has "his whole career ahead of him."
Photographer Joan Monfort admitted he never imagined the photo would become so significant.
"The photo has exploded all over the world, and the fact that the final is in the U.S. has given it an extra push. Now it has culminated with the final between Messi and Yamal. It's better than any film script," he said.
Spain midfielder Mikel Merino also reacted to the image, revealing he initially believed it had been generated by artificial intelligence.
"The first time I saw it, I thought it was AI and that it wasn't even real," Merino said.
Messi enters Sunday's final with eight goals and four assists in the tournament and is tied with Kylian Mbappé in the race for the Golden Boot, as Argentina seeks to become back-to-back world champions.
The highly anticipated final will also mark Messi's third consecutive World Cup final appearance, after reaching the title matches in 2014, 2022, and now 2026, while Yamal aims to crown his breakthrough international career with his first World Cup title.
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