# The story behind Messi and Yamal’s viral photo

A photo of Lionel Messi with a baby Lamine Yamal, taken years ago at a charity calendar shoot, has resurfaced and gone viral. The image highlights the unexpected connection between the football legend and the current Barcelona rising star. It underscores Yamal’s journey from a child in that photo to a professional player.

**Importance:** 2/5

## Sources

### World
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/7/19/the-story-behind-football-stars-messi-and-yamals-viral-photo?traffic_source=rss) — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 14:17:39 +0000
- [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/7/19/the-story-behind-gazas-theyliedtoyou-campaign?traffic_source=rss) — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 18:54:54 +0000