The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has confirmed that the widely shared photographs showing football icon Lionel Messi bathing and caring for a baby Lamine Yamal are authentic and were taken during a fundraising campaign organised nearly two decades ago.
The organisation issued the clarification as the iconic images resurfaced ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi's Argentina and Yamal's Spain are set to face each other for the first time on football's biggest stage.
According to UNICEF, the photographs were taken more than 18 years ago during a fundraising photoshoot held at Camp Nou in Barcelona, where a young Messi, then 20 years old, participated in a charity calendar project supporting children.
At the time, Yamal was just five months old, and his mother, Sheila, had won a newspaper raffle that gave families the opportunity to take part in the UNICEF campaign alongside a Barcelona player.
Responding to speculation on social media, UNICEF stated that the photographs are genuine, adding that both Messi and Yamal now serve as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, using their global influence to advocate for children's rights and wellbeing.
The organisation noted that while their football achievements continue to inspire millions around the world, both players have also remained committed to supporting UNICEF's mission of ensuring that every child survives, thrives and fulfils their potential.
The remarkable images first gained widespread attention during the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament after Yamal's father shared them online, with many fans describing the photographs as a symbolic passing of the torch between two generations of football greatness.
Photographer Joan Monfort, who captured the historic moment, previously described the session as an extraordinary coincidence, recalling that Messi appeared shy and initially unsure about holding the infant during the charity shoot.
With Messi aiming to defend Argentina's world title and Yamal emerging as one of football's brightest young stars, the resurfaced photographs have added another emotional layer to one of the most anticipated World Cup finals in recent history.