In September 2007, a young Lionel Messi held a six-month-old baby named Lamine Yamal for a UNICEF charity photoshoot at Camp Nou. The image, captured by photographer Joan Monfort, became iconic once Yamal rose to stardom.
Now 19, Yamal will face Messi as an opponent in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final on July 19 in New York. Argentina will play Spain in the match.
Yamal has openly expressed his wish to face Messi in a World Cup final. That wish is now granted, setting the stage for a historic matchup between the legendary player and the young star he once held as an infant.