A photograph taken in 2007 shows Lionel Messi, then a 19-year-old Barcelona star, cradling a four-month-old baby in a makeshift bath at Camp Nou. That baby is Lamine Yamal, now a 19-year-old sensation for Spain. On Sunday, they will face each other in the 2026 World Cup final in New York.
The photograph that defies chance
The image was part of a charity calendar for Barcelona and Unicef. Photographer Joan Monfort set up in the away dressing room, using a plastic tub and a rubber duck. Yamal's mother, Sheila, had entered him into a draw. Messi, shy and timid, helped with the shoot. Monfort later said he didn't believe in destiny before, but now he does.
The photo was forgotten until Yamal's father, Mounir, posted it on social media during Euro 2024. Four days later, Yamal scored a stunning goal against France, leading Spain to the final. "The beginning of two legends," Mounir captioned it.
From chance to superstardom
Yamal, who grew up in Rocafonda, a neighborhood where half the population lives at risk of poverty, joined Barcelona's La Masia at age 11. He made his first-team debut at 15, becoming the youngest player in Barcelona's history. He now has over 50 goals for club and country.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said: "Maybe Messi has picked up lots of babies, maybe it's chance, but for those of us who have faith, 'chance' is God's pseudonym."
Comparisons and respect
Yamal has often been compared to Messi, but he insists: "I want to follow my own path. I have no intention of playing like him." Yet the parallels are striking: both scored their first World Cup goal at age 18, wearing the number 19. Messi, now 39, is playing in his sixth World Cup final, seeking a fourth consecutive international trophy.
Messi said of Yamal: "If I had to choose one, it would be Lamine. Without doubt, he's the best." Yamal replied: "If we meet on the pitch, there will be mutual respect because for me he is the best in history."
The final showdown
Spain, the European champions, face Argentina, the South American champions, in what could be a passing of the torch. Yamal, at 19, is the youngest star at the tournament; Messi, at 39, is the elder statesman. The boy in the bath has become the man who may inherit Messi's throne.
