Barcelona has revealed how Lionel Messi’s now-famous photograph with Lamine Yamal, taken when the Spanish forward was just a baby, came about, saying it was the result of a UNICEF charity project organised by the club’s foundation in 2008.
The image, which resurfaced during Yamal’s breakout performances at Euro 2024 and has continued to trend since, shows a 20-year-old Messi cradling the infant Yamal.
In a statement on Thursday, Barcelona said the encounter happened “through sheer chance” during Joan Laporta’s first spell as club president.
The club explained that its foundation had partnered with Sport newspaper since 2004 to produce an annual charity calendar in aid of UNICEF and other humanitarian causes. The 2008 edition, which focused on children’s welfare programmes, featured members of the first-team squad, including Deco, Bojan Krkić, Rafa Márquez and Xavi Hernández.
Messi, then a rising 20-year-old star, was assigned to one of the photo sessions, where he was paired with baby Yamal and his mother, Sheila — a pairing Barcelona described as a chance meeting between two generations of footballing talent.
“Who would have imagined that the little child in the picture would go on to be somebody who, if the early promise is fulfilled, could well follow in the Argentinian’s footsteps,” the club said, adding that the photograph could go down as “one of the most iconic football pictures ever taken.”
UNICEF also confirmed the authenticity of the image in a post on X on Thursday, noting that the meeting took place more than 18 years ago at one of its fundraising photoshoots.
The organisation added that both players have since become UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, using their profiles to champion children’s rights globally.
Messi and Argentina, the defending champions, face Spain in Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final, with the South Americans hoping to become only the third nation after Italy and Brazil to retain the trophy.
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