Why did Messi and baby Yamal end up in the same photo?

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Messi and Yamal's Unlikely Photo Encounter

It is "crazy" that Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal will face each other in a World Cup final, nearly two decades after an unexpected photo session brought them together. Messi was part of a Barcelona first-team photo shoot for a charity calendar in December 2007, during which he coincidentally cradled and bathed a five-month-old Yamal. Yamal's parents had entered a raffle through a sports paper for the opportunity to participate in the event.
Charity Calendar Shoot in 2007

In December 2007, a 20-year-old Lionel Messi, then a prominent player for Barcelona, participated in a photo shoot organised by the club and Unicef. The purpose of the shoot was to create images for a charity calendar aimed at raising awareness and funds for children's relief. It was during this event that Messi met Lamine Yamal, who was then only five months old.
A Coincidental Pairing

The circumstances that led to Messi holding baby Yamal were entirely coincidental. Messi was selected to cradle and bathe the infant in a plastic tub as part of the calendar's thematic images. This specific pairing was not pre-arranged but rather a happenstance of the day's activities during the charity event.
Parents' Raffle Entry

The presence of five-month-old Lamine Yamal at the photo shoot was facilitated through a raffle. Yamal's parents entered a competition organised by a sports paper, successfully winning the opportunity for their son to participate. This raffle provided the means for the family to be involved in the Barcelona club's charitable initiative.
Photos Gained Public Attention in 2024

The photographs from this unique encounter remained largely private until 2024. It was then that Yamal's father first shared the images publicly, coinciding with his son's breakthrough performance at the Euros. The resurfacing of these photos highlighted the remarkable journey of both players, from that early meeting to their current status as football stars.

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Why did Messi and baby Yamal end up in the same photo?

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