Lamine Yamal: Argentina's Lionel Messi blesses teammate Montiel's baby after Spain's Euro 2024 hero

Lionel Messi's 'blessing' of babies has officially become a phenomenon, with the Argentina superstar spotted cradling his teammate Gonzalo Montiel's six-month-old son after a recent photo with Lamine Yamal made the rounds.

The Barcelona legend, who is known for his charitable work, accepted the opportunity to hold and bless Montiel's little one, much to the delight of the young family.

This latest heartwarming interaction comes on the heels of a recent viral picture showing Messi bathing Spanish prodigy Lamine Yamal, who has been hailed as the future of the game.

The 17-year-old Barcelona wonderkid, who made history as the youngest to feature and score in the European Championships, was the lucky recipient of Messi's blessing during a charity event organised over a decade ago.

17 years ago, the then-20-year-old Messi participated in the event, which raised funds for various charities, including UNICEF. 

During the photo shoot, the future World Cup winner cradled the infant Yamal and even bathed him as part of the series of photographs.

Now, it seems that Messi's international teammate, Montiel, is hoping for his son to follow in Yamal's footsteps and become the next prodigious talent, having asked the legendary Messi to bless his child.

The River Plate defender was part of the Argentina team which defeated all comers to claim a second Copa America title. 

Inter Milan man Lautaro Martinez was the hero after coming off the bench to net the decisive winner in extra time to give the World Champions a hard-earned 1-0 win in the final against Colombia on Monday.

Both Montiel and Messi, who is now the most decorated player in the world, featured in that encounter but did not finish as the River Plate right-back was substituted in the 72nd minute while his skipper, Messi, was forced off in tears with a swollen ankle.

It was after the match and during their Copa America title celebration that the defender took his baby to the smiling Messi, who was happy and excited to carry baby Thiago.

Meanwhile. It is set to be a battle between the king and his heir as Messi and Yamal are poised to face off in the prestigious Finalissima 2025, a match-up that has fans buzzing with excitement.

The Copa America champions Argentina will go head-to-head with the European champions, Spain, with the former Barcelona star, Messi, and Yamal, Euro2024 young player of the tournament, Barcelona’s currently shining light, set to excite fans. 

With Messi's ability to bless and inspire the next generation of football stars, it's no wonder that his interactions with young players have captured the hearts of fans around the world.