Back in 2007, a 20-year-old Messi took part in a UNICEF charity photoshoot organised by Catalan newspaper Diario Sport at Barcelona's Camp Nou. One of the babies selected for the campaign was six-month-old Lamine Yamal. The young Argentine, then an emerging Barcelona star, was photographed gently bathing the infant in a small plastic tub and later cradling him in his arms, creating an image that would become one of football's most extraordinary stories.

The photoshoot came about through a charity raffle aimed at supporting vulnerable children. Families from low-income communities around Barcelona were invited to participate, and Yamal's parents, who were raising their son in the working-class town of Mataró after emigrating from Equatorial Guinea and Morocco, were among those selected. By chance, their baby was paired with Messi, who had only recently broken into Barcelona's first team.

At the time, neither family could have imagined the significance of the photographs. While Messi was still beginning his rise to football greatness, Yamal was only months old. Nineteen years later, the pair will meet again, this time on opposite sides as Argentina and Spain battle for the biggest prize in international football.

The iconic images resurfaced in 2024 after Yamal's father shared one on social media with the caption, "The beginning of two legends." The post quickly went viral as fans marvelled at the unlikely connection between the sport's greatest player of his generation and one widely regarded as its brightest emerging talent.

Photographer Joan Monfort, who captured the images, recalled that Messi initially appeared unsure of how to handle the baby because of his naturally reserved personality.

"He came into the dressing room and suddenly had to take these photos with a little baby," Monfort recalled. "His face changed like he had no idea what to do."

Looking back, Monfort described the reunion awaiting the pair in the World Cup final as something beyond imagination.

"It is a true miracle of destiny," he said. "If you wrote this in a film it would not seem possible."

Their reunion comes after dramatic semifinal victories. Spain booked their place in the final with a 2-0 win over France, while Messi inspired Argentina to a 2-1 comeback victory against England, helping send the defending champions into another World Cup final.

At 39, Messi is chasing another crowning achievement in a career already regarded as one of the greatest in football history. His two assists against England also moved him ahead of France's Kylian Mbappé in the race for the tournament's Golden Boot.

Standing in his way is Yamal, whose meteoric rise has captivated the football world. Still a teenager, the Barcelona winger has already become one of Spain's most influential players and is widely viewed as a leading contender to carry the sport into its next era.

Beyond their unique connection, both players also share a commitment to UNICEF. Messi has supported the organisation for more than two decades and became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2010. Earlier this year, Yamal followed in his footsteps by becoming UNICEF's newest Goodwill Ambassador, pledging to use his platform to champion children's rights.

On Sunday, a chance meeting that began with a charity photoshoot at Camp Nou will come full circle on football's biggest stage. What started with a young Messi bathing a baby from a humble family will culminate in a World Cup final, where one generation's icon faces the player many believe could one day inherit his crown.