The Greatest - Lamine Yamal pays tribute to Lionel Messi in nostalgic reflection on iconic photo

Lamine Yamal has once again commented on the nostalgic photo with Lionel Messi in 2007.

The photo, which surfaced in 2024 and ultimately went viral, showed a 20-year-old Messi bathing an infant Yamal.

The images, captured by freelance photographer Joan Monfort for a charity event between Catalan newspaper Diario Sport and UNICEF, sparked widespread fascination at the time and still does.

The photoshoot took place in the away team locker room, with Yamal and his mother, Sheila Ebana, alongside Messi.

Monfort previously recalled the Barcelona star's initial shyness and awkwardness when presented with a baby and a bathtub.

"The stars aligned when Lamine met Messi, but it was very difficult," Monfort told The Associated Press via ESPN.

"Messi is very introverted and shy. He entered the changing room to find a plastic bathtub filled with water and a baby inside. In the beginning he did not know how to hold [Yamal]."

Despite the unusual circumstances, the encounter is now seen by many as a symbolic passing of a footballing torch.

The Barcelona star, 18, tagged Messi as the greatest ever in recent comments made about the photo.

"The truth is I’m surprised because Messi is holding me in his arms, and I’m not even looking at him, I don’t know what I was doing, but I’m very happy to have the photo with the best player in history," said Yamal via @MessiWorld on X, formerly Twitter.

Yamal, a European champion with the Spanish national team, has also achieved incredible feats with Barcelona, clinching two LaLiga titles and the Copa del Rey.

The forward has scored 25 goals in 106 appearances for the Blaugrana.

Hansi Flick's Barcelona face Vissel Koba on July 27 in their first match of pre-season.