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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Messi posed with Yamal as baby</li><li>Youngster grew into Barcelona hero</li><li>Tipped to follow Argentine's example</li></ul>

Amazing photos of Lionel Messi holding Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal as a baby emerge from charity photoshoot

<p>The 16-year-old has been tipped to follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi amid his record-breaking exploits for club and country. However, it has emerged that Yamal came face to face with the Barcelona idol as a baby and was even bathed by him.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>Yamal's father has revealed photographs from a charity photoshoot organised by <em>Sport</em> in which Messi holds and poses with the rising star when he was just four months old.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">L’histoire exceptionnelle déterrée par le père de Lamine Yamal hier sur son compte Instagram : quand Lamine avait 4 mois, il a posé avec Lionel Messi dans le cadre d’un photoshoot organisé par Sport pour un calendrier caritatif. <a href="https://t.co/IK2NBWC2K8">pic.twitter.com/IK2NBWC2K8</a></p>— Anna Carreau (@annacarreau) <a href="https://twitter.com/annacarreau/status/1809206398053425476?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>The pictures were taken in 2007 for a calendar. Yamal enjoyed an excellent breakthrough season with Barca this season and has been a protagonist in Spain's journey to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals. He became the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lamine-yamal-makes-history-spain-breaks-record-appearance-croatia-euro-2024/blt5432a3582f20c048" target="_blank">youngest player to feature in a European Championship</a> when he lined up in their opening game against Croatia. Having already broken the record as the youngest to ever play for Barcelona as well as the youngest to play in a Champions League knockout game, he has been tipped to become one of the world's best players.</p>

DID YOU KNOW?

<p>The teenager will likely be in the starting XI when Spain take on Germany in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals on Friday. The winner of that match will go on to face either Portugal or France in the semi-finals.</p>

WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

Amazing photos of Lionel Messi holding Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal as a baby emerge from charity photoshoot | Goal.com Tanzania

Barcelona and Spain youngster Lamine Yamal has been rubbing shoulders with the greats ever since he was just four months old.