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World Cup destiny: Messi bathed Yamal as a baby, now they face off for soccer’s top title
Summary by The Midland Editorial Desk JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press , as published by KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS)
· July 18, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS) · view original
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The Midland Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press, as published by KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS) Original story Read at the source Source published Jul 18, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key takeaway The images have gained significant attention in the lead-up to the World Cup final, where Messi's Argentina will face off against Yamal's Spain.
A remarkable story has emerged ahead of the World Cup final, involving soccer stars Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal. A photo shoot from almost two decades ago has resurfaced, showing a teenage Messi bathing a baby boy who is now Yamal. The images have gained significant attention in the lead-up to the World Cup final, where Messi's Argentina will face off against Yamal's Spain.
The photographer who took the pictures, Joan Monfort, has expressed his astonishment at the coincidence. Further details about this unusual connection between the two soccer players are available from the source. The World Cup final is set to take place on Sunday, with Argentina and Spain competing for the top title.
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About this story
As published by KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS) . The Midland 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 KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local Published: July 18, 2026 Source: KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS) Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A remarkable story has emerged ahead of the World Cup final, involving soccer stars Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal. A photo shoot from almost two decades ago has resurfaced, showing a teenage Messi…
When was this published? This article was first published on July 18, 2026 by KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS) and curated for The Midland readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press at KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS). To learn more about how The Midland selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Midland, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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