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Messi and Yamal's viral baby photo confirmed authentic ahead of World Cup final clash
via Punch Nigeria6 min read
A viral photograph showing Lionel Messi bathing baby Lamine Yamal, initially dismissed by many as AI-generated, has been confirmed as authentic. The image, taken in 2007 during a charity photo shoot for a Barcelona Foundation and SPORT calendar to raise funds for UNICEF, resurfaced in 2024. Photographer Joan Monfort captured the photo, which features a 19-year-old Messi with a three-month-old Yamal. Oriol Canals, then in SPORT's marketing department, recalled the challenges of producing the calendar. Yamal's family participated in a UNICEF community project and won a raffle for their newborn to be photographed with a Barcelona player, leading to the pairing with Messi. The photo shoot, lasting about 30 minutes, took place at Camp Nou. Canals noted Messi's initial stiffness holding a baby, while Monfort described the teenage Messi as shy. The image gained significant attention when Yamal's father shared it on social media in 2024, just before Yamal helped Spain win UEFA EURO 2024. Both Monfort and Canals expressed amazement at the photo's renewed relevance. UNICEF has also confirmed the photo's authenticity, highlighting that both Messi, a Goodwill Ambassador since 2010, and Yamal, who became one last month, champion children's rights. Messi and Yamal are now set to face each other in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, with Argentina playing Spain.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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