The Whimsical World of Soccer: Unpacking the Viral Messi and Lamine Photo

The image of Leo Messi bathing a six-month-old Lamine Yamal has resurfaced on social media before Spain face Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final on 19 July. Far from a chance encounter, it came from a charity calendar run by SPORT with Barça and UNICEF, an idea driven by then promotions chief Oriol Canals.

"I organised it all," said Canals. He told SPORT.

He said he knew the picture had been taken by photographer Joan Monfort for that calendar. "Names like Ronaldinho, Puyol, Eto'o and Thierry Henry came through those sessions, and obviously Messi too." He added, "It is like Michael Jordan bathing LeBron James. It is outrageous."

"The first year we obtained permissions in a bit of a rush, then we prepared better for the following years," he said. Children were brought via the Casal dels Infants del Raval, and later the project prioritised those linked to UNICEF and the Casal. Lamine Yamal’s inclusion, he noted, came through a UNICEF programme.

He first noticed the photo going viral years ago while in a swimming pool, after seeing it posted by a former colleague. 17 years on, with Spain and Argentina meeting for the title, curiosity has spiked again. "Many people now ask me about it," Canals said. "I remember it, yes, but exactly, it is difficult."

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo

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