"Better than any script": That's what's behind the Messi-Yamal photo

The iconic photo of Lionel Messi bathing young Lamine Yamal in a plastic bathtub has taken on new significance as the two football stars face each other in the World Cup final. The image, captured over 18 years ago during a charity calendar shoot, has resurfaced with renewed interest ahead of the match, which will take place in New York. The photograph, widely regarded as one of the most memorable moments in sports history, shows the then-20-year-old Messi gently washing the five-month-old Yamal, who would later become a key player for Spain. Joan Monfort, the photographer behind the shot, expressed his astonishment at how the circumstances under which the image was taken have come full circle. “And now it all culminates in this final between Messi and Yamal. It’s better than any script,” Monfort told the Associated Press. He noted that professional media outlets had flooded him with requests for the photographs, while the images had been shared countless times online without attribution or compensation. The photo, part of a charitable campaign by the Spanish newspaper Diario Sport, was originally created to raise funds for several organizations, including the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The shoot took place in 2007, when Yamal was just a few months old and Messi was already a professional footballer with FC Barcelona and the Argentine national team. The opportunity arose through a lottery organized by the newspaper, which invited families to participate in the project. Yamal’s mother, Sheila Ebana, won the draw, allowing her son to be photographed with Messi. At the time, Ebana was still a teenager, having given birth to Yamal at age 16. She is younger than Messi, whose career has spanned decades. Monfort recalled that he had little memory of the session until Yamal’s father posted one of the photos on social media during the European Championship in 2024. That moment sparked widespread attention, and the image went viral. Now, as the World Cup final approaches, the demand for the photographs has surged even further. Monfort attributed the renewed interest partly to the fact that the final will be held in the United States, adding extra momentum to the story. Despite the emotional weight of the moment, Monfort remains neutral about the outcome. “I’m torn. I don’t know whether I want Messi or Yamal to win,” he said. While he holds deep admiration for Messi, whom he considers the greatest player of all time, he also praises Yamal for breaking new ground on the pitch. Yamal, born to parents from Morocco and Equatorial Guinea, represents a more diverse Spain, according to Monfort. “Perhaps both can win,” he added. “After everything we’ve seen, I wouldn’t rule that out.”