Lamine Yamal and Leo Messi, the two best players in the world, both products of La Masia and two FC Barcelona legends, will meet next Sunday at New York New Jersey Stadium in the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. It will undoubtedly be the most eagerly awaited photograph of the final.

But this will not be the first meeting between the two Barça stars. That came almost 18 years ago, in November 2007, thanks to a charity initiative organised by the Barça Foundation that has since produced an image for football history. It brought a young Messi, then aged 20, together with a baby named Lamine Yamal. Luck and chance (and perhaps even a hint of destiny) combined to create that magical, unique moment when a Barça legend of world football held in his arms a young Barça talent seemingly destined to follow in his footsteps.

The iconic photograph, now back in the spotlight ahead of the thrilling World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, was taken by Joan Monfort, then a photographer for the newspaper Sport. The FC Barcelona Foundation and Sport had worked together since 2004 to produce a charity calendar raising funds for UNICEF and Foundation projects. The 2008 calendar aimed to showcase the different areas of the FC Barcelona Foundation’s programmes for the comprehensive support of children, and featured members of the Barça first team. It was produced during Joan Laporta’s first spell as president, when the Barça Foundation was headed by its current director general, Dr Marta Segú.

Barça and its Foundation, together with the social organisations they worked with, selected the players and children who would appear in the photographs. Foundation staff provided all the props. The calendar also featured Barça icons such as Xavi, Iniesta, Thierry Henry, Carles Puyol and Víctor Valdés, as well as players who now form part of FC Barcelona’s sporting structure, including Deco, the football area’s sporting director, and Bojan Krkic, the football area coordinator.

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