As a baby, Yamal met Messi. Now he’ll play against him in the World Cup

by · Australian Financial Review

Dermot Corrigan / The Athletic
Jul 17, 2026 – 3.36pm

In December 2007, photographer Joan Monfort took a picture of a 20-year-old Lionel Messi, who had started his legendary Barcelona career just over three years earlier. In the photo, he is with Lamine Yamal – who was only five months old.

“It’s a one-in-a-million chance that this could happen,” Monfort said. “It’s such good fortune.”

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