A photograph circulating online, purported to show soccer superstar Lionel Messi bathing a baby Lamine Yamal, has been confirmed as authentic. The image captures a moment from a 2007 UNICEF fundraising photoshoot.
The claim states that a 2007 photograph authentically depicts a young Lionel Messi bathing Lamine Yamal as a baby. This claim is true.
The photographs, shared on social media, show a young Messi in a bathtub with a baby, with the baby’s mother assisting. These images are indeed real and were part of a UNICEF initiative. Freelance photographer Joan Monfort captured the images as part of a charity effort.
UNICEF itself has confirmed the authenticity of the photos, stating that baby Lamine Yamal, his mother, and Lionel Messi met during this UNICEF fundraising photoshoot over 18 years ago. Both Messi and Yamal are now UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, advocating for children worldwide.
Monfort, a freelance photographer for the Associated Press, provided further details in a 2024 interview. He explained that the photoshoot took place in a visitors’ locker room in Barcelona when Yamal was an infant and Messi was around 19 or 20 years old. The initiative involved Barcelona players posing with children and families for a calendar. Yamal’s family won a raffle to have their picture taken with a Barcelona player at Camp Nou.
Monfort described Messi as shy and initially unsure how to hold the baby, noting that Yamal’s mother played a crucial role in making the situation comfortable. He recounted visiting Yamal’s father to confirm the baby’s identity, with Yamal’s father humorously suggesting it was “Lamine blessing Messi.”
In 2024, Yamal’s father shared one of the iconic images on his Instagram account, captioning it, “The beginning of two legends.”
Lamine Yamal is recognized as a rising star for Spain in the current tournament, while Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time.
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