From bathtub photo to World Cup stage: Yamal echoes Messi legacy

Lamine Yamal emulated Lionel Messi by becoming one of the youngest goalscorers in World Cup history during Spain’s dominant victory over Saudi Arabia.

The Barcelona teenager found the back of the net within the opening ten minutes of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H fixture at the Atlanta Stadium on Sunday.

The strike triggered a 4-0 victory for the 2010 world champions, revitalising their campaign after an opening-game draw against Cape Verde.

The teenage winger previously secured international attention during Euro 2024, where a spectacular semifinal goal against France made him the youngest scorer in European Championship history.

An early encounter with greatness appeared to foreshadow his rapid rise after a series of rediscovered photographs surfaced online.

The images depict a 20-year-old Lionel Messi bathing an infant Yamal inside a plastic tub.

The footballer's father, Mounir Nasraoui, shared an image on Instagram in 2024 with the caption: "The beginning of two legends."

Freelance photographer Joan Monfort captured the moment in autumn 2007 inside the away changing room at the Camp Nou.

The session formed part of a charity calendar organised by Catalan newspaper Diario Sport and UNICEF.

Joan Monfort explained to The Associated Press that Yamal's family won a raffle in the Roca Fonda neighbourhood of Mataró to secure the photoshoot.

The photographer recalled that the initial meeting was difficult because Lionel Messi was highly introverted and unsure how to hold the baby.

The 56-year-old photographer expressed great excitement that his work caused such a sensation so many years later, describing it as a very nice feeling.