Barcelona explains how Messi's iconic photo with baby Lamine Yamal happened
Author: Ayobami OkerindePublished on: July 17, 2026Country: Spain
Sports

Spanish club FC Barcelona has explained how Lionel Messi's now-iconic photograph with baby Lamine Yamal came to be, revealing that it was a UNICEF charity project organized by the club's foundation in 2008. The image shows a 20-year-old Messi cradling Yamal, who was only a few months old, during a photoshoot for the annual charity calendar produced with Sport newspaper. The club described the meeting as a 'sheer chance' encounter between two generations of footballing talent. UNICEF also confirmed the photo's authenticity.
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