The Unexpected Identity of the Baby in the Bathtub: A 19-Year-Old Connection Revealed

Lionel Messi, the "God of Football," is seen with long hair, wearing a white outfit, as he washes a baby in a plastic bathtub.

This photo was taken in 2007 when FC Barcelona collaborated with a local newspaper and UNICEF for an annual charity calendar project featuring local residents.

However, the identity of the baby in the tub is drawing renewed attention today, 19 years later.

The baby is none other than Lamine Yamal, the rising star and key forward for the Spanish national team and the ace of FC Barcelona.

Yamal's family had entered a raffle for the charity photo shoot, won, and were paired with Messi.

Messi was filmed washing the then-infant Yamal, who was only a few months old, in a plastic tub next to Yamal's mother.

Joan Monfort, the freelance photographer who handled the shoot, only recently realized that the baby in the photo was Yamal. He shared his thoughts, saying, "It is very exciting to know that I was part of such an incredible situation."

He recalled the moment, adding, "Messi is shy and introverted, so he had some difficulty during the shoot with the baby."

Yamal, who honed his skills after joining La Masia, FC Barcelona's youth academy, has always considered Messi his role model. Since Messi left the club, Yamal has emerged as the new ace of FC Barcelona.

Now, 19 years after that UNICEF event, a grand narrative spanning nearly two decades has finally come to fruition, as Argentina's "God of Football" Lionel Messi and Spain's young prodigy Lamine Yamal are set to face off on the biggest stage in world football: the World Cup final.

Earlier today, Argentina secured a dramatic 2-1 victory against England in the World Cup semifinal held at Atlanta Stadium in the United States, advancing to the final.

Argentina will compete for the World Cup title against Spain, which defeated France 2-0, on July 20.

Football fans around the world are focused on whether Messi will successfully defend his title or if Yamal will be crowned the new emperor of football in this upcoming final.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Ahn Jun-hyeok | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.