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This article was first published on July 17, 2026 by ABC7 Los Angeles (KABC) and curated for The Los Angeles readers.

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How Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal's viral photo is coming full circle at the World Cup

By KABC at ABC7 Los Angeles (KABC) · July 17, 2026 · 1 min read

Before they were rivals, Messi posed with baby Yamal for a charity photo shoot.

A viral photo of Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal is making headlines at the World Cup. The photo was taken during a charity photo shoot. At the time, Yamal was a baby and Messi posed with him for the shoot.

The photo has resurfaced as the two have become rivals. Further details about the photo and its significance are available from ABC7 Los Angeles.

For more information on the story behind the viral photo, readers can visit the ABC7 Los Angeles website for the full story on how the photo of Messi and baby Yamal has come full circle at the World Cup.

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About this story

Original reporting by ABC7 Los Angeles (KABC). The Los Angeles surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page.

For the complete original report, visit ABC7 Los Angeles (KABC). Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom.

Category: local · Published: July 17, 2026 · Source: ABC7 Los Angeles (KABC) · Reading time: 1 min

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