In 2007, UNICEF and a Catalan newspaper planned a charity photoshoot and needed a newborn baby to appear with a Barcelona player. This led to a raffle contest, and parents entered for the chance to have their baby featured.
Lamine Yamal’s parents won the raffle, and that was how Lionel Messi, then just 20 years old bathed baby Lamine Yamal during the photoshoot. It was a simple charity moment, never imagined to become historic.
Now, that baby has grown into one of football’s brightest stars, and is playing against the man who once bathed him. What a beautiful world.
Argentina will clash with Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, making this story even more memorable and emotional. Softfootball understands that it was in 2024 that Lamine Yamal’s father posted the photo, and it went viral worldwide, with fans amazed at how life had come full circle.
