Spain winger Lamine Yamal recently revealed that viral photographs of him as a baby with Lionel Messi were kept hidden until now to avoid comparisons with the Barcelona legend that could potentially hinder his career. The images, taken in 2007, showed Messi bathing a six-month-old Yamal alongside his mother for a charity calendar organized by Diario Sport and UNICEF.
Yamal expressed that while he was unaware of the significance of the photos at that young age, his family chose not to release them to prevent the inevitable comparisons with Messi. Despite their efforts, Yamal's exceptional performances as a left-footed winger for Barcelona drew comparisons to the Argentine forward.
Debuting for Barcelona's first team at just 15 years old in 2023, Yamal quickly made a name for himself, making over 50 appearances last season and earning international recognition with Spain. At this summer's European Championship in Germany, he became the youngest player to both play and score in the tournament.
Former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández acknowledged the parallels between Yamal and Messi, noting the young player's flashes of brilliance reminiscent of the footballing icon. Yamal's father shared a cropped version of one of the photos on Instagram, captioning it as 'The beginning of two legends.'
Yamal's standout performances at the Euros included a crucial goal in Spain's semifinal victory over France and setting up three goals, the highest in the tournament. As Spain prepares to face England in the final, Yamal's talent and potential continue to garner attention and praise, solidifying his status as a rising star in the world of football.
