How could it be that Lionel Messi—then just 20—appeared to baptize a baby, and that baby turned out to be none other than Lamine Yamal? This captivating moment, born, VulcanKick will unpack the full story behind why Messi baptized Yamal, explore the implications for both legends, and show how fate wove their paths long before Yamal dazzled the world.
The Photo That Shocked the Internet
In mid-2024, a decades-old photo went viral: a young Messi cradling an infant, hands wet, standing over what looks like a tiny bathing tub. Many labeled it “Messi baptizing Yamal”—a poetic, even mythical framing. But what really happened?
These images were taken in late 2007 as part of a charity calendar project spearheaded by FC Barcelona Foundation along with the Catalan newspaper Sport and UNICEF. It was not a baptism. Instead, it was a staged, altruistic photoshoot involving various Barça players and children, to raise funds for UNICEF projects.
Messi, already a rising star, was assigned to pose with baby Yamal—who was six months old at the time. The baby’s family had won a raffle in their district of Rocafonda in Mataró, which offered the opportunity to be photographed with a Barça player at Camp Nou. That’s how the seemingly magical moment came into being.
At the time, nobody knew the baby was destined for greatness. The photographer, Joan Monfort, later said he didn’t discover the identity of the child until many years later, when the photo resurfaced and Yamal’s family confirmed it.
Now, the image is often described in poetic language—as though Messi had passed on his powers, blessed a future star, or baptized a prodigy. But in truth, it was a coincidence shaped through philanthropy. Still, when football loves a narrative, coincidences become legends.
Messi, Yamal, and the Bonds of Destiny
To understand why fans embraced the baptism imagery, we have to look at the narratives that tie Messi and Yamal together:
Two careers echoing each other
- Messi, already at 20, had become a vital part of Barcelona’s first team and was building a legacy.
- Yamal, just an infant in the photo, would grow to enter Barça’s La Masia system, break records in La Liga, and then shock Europe at Euro 2024 as Spain’s youngest ever scorer.
These mirrored arcs invite romantic comparisons: mentor and protégé, legend and heir. When Yamal’s father captioned the old photo, “The beginning of two legends,” the football world embraced it.
Symbolism and fan lore
Fans love symbolism. A photo of Messi bathing Yamal allows fans to imagine that the older legend “anointed” the next, whether literally or figuratively. It taps into football’s mythic dimension—of lineage, prophecy, and the passing of the torch.
Though technically untrue, that doesn’t stop the image. It tells a beautiful story: that even before Yamal could walk or speak, fate had nudged him into Messi’s orbit.
Legacy pressure and expectations
With the baptism myth comes heavy expectation. Comparisons with Messi now swirl more relentlessly around Yamal: stylistic echoes, shared club, left-footed genius. The baptism image intensifies that narrative, for good and bad. Yamal must now forge his own identity, while the myth looms in fans’ minds.
Behind the Scenes: What Really Took Place
To dismantle the myth while preserving the romance, here’s a clearer view of how events played out:
The UNICEF-FCB Calendar initiative
- Each year, Barça’s foundation participated in a calendar with Sport newspaper to raise money for children’s causes. Various club players voluntarily posed with children. Raffle in Rocafonda
- Yamal’s family entered a raffle and won the opportunity to take part. So they traveled to Camp Nou for photos.
- Messi’s assignment
- Among the players selected was Messi. He entered a locker room setting, found a plastic tub of water and baby Yamal (with his mother helping), and posed for the shoot. The scene was awkward at first—Messi, introverted and shy, was unsure how to hold the baby or act naturally in front of the camera. Over time, the team found gentle poses to capture a tender image.
- Disappearance until 2024
- For years, these photos remained relatively unknown outside the families involved and the calendar recipients. Then, after Spain’s Euro 2024 run, Yamal’s father posted the photo, revealing its subject: the now-star player.
- Mythic framing
- Social media, media outlets, and fans reframed the image as a “baptism” or symbolic passing of the flame. That frame stuck—it’s more emotionally compelling than a raffle-driven calendar shoot.
So, in plain truth: Messi didn’t baptize Yamal. The shoot was charitable. But in the court of football storytelling, the myth is potent.
Why The Myth Persists (And Why It Matters)
Why do so many accept or even prefer the baptism metaphor? Because it taps deep into what fans love about football:
- Legend meets prodigy: The idea that Messi and Yamal’s paths crossed in such a primal, visceral way excites our sense of fate and continuity.
- Narrative marketing: The mythuresque story fuels clicks, conversations, and social media buzz—ever valuable in football’s media ecology.
- Emotional resonance: People love stories. Legends anointing successors stirs emotion more than a confluence of promotional calendars.
- Symbolic validation: Yamal’s rise gets extra shine when a “blessed by Messi” narrative clings to him. It adds weight to his meteoric ascendancy.
But it also carries risks: too much mythologizing invites pressure, pigeonholing, and expectation misalignment. Yamal is not Messi; he’s a different generation with his own path.
How Yamal Has Written His Own Story
The baptism myth may draw the headlines, but Yamal has answered with performance:
- He made his La Liga debut at 15, becoming one of the youngest ever in Spain’s top flight.
- He broke into the Barcelona first team, setting records as the youngest starter and scorer in the club’s history.
- At Euro 2024, he scored a masterful goal against France, becoming the youngest player ever to find the net in a European Championship.
- He has blended flair, speed, and maturity, showing he’s more than just a wunderkind wrapped in myth.
In other words, the baptism narrative is a footnote. Yamal’s legacy will be written on the field.
Final Thoughts
Why Messi baptized Yamal is a poetic shorthand—a metaphor born. Messi didn’t literally baptize Yamal; he simply posed with him as part of a philanthropic campaign. But in the world of football myth, that moment transcended reality.
For fans, it’s a powerful image: legacy, destiny, the torch passed in silence. For Yamal, it’s both blessing and burden. His challenge now is to live up to the legend—not the baptism myth, but the real possibility of greatness.
Below, VulcanKick encourages you to dive deeper:
- Explore Yamal’s match performances and stats in his breakthrough seasons
- Track Messi’s later career and how legends pass on influence
- Follow the parallels and departures between the two careers
Let’s celebrate the myth—but also remember: Legends are made, not baptized.
