Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal speaks out on viral Lionel Messi photo | OneFootball

Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal has on Friday for the first time addressed the viral photoshoot of he and Lionel Messi to have captured the attentions of football fans the world over.

For those who may somehow have missed it, Lamine and Messi took their place front and centre in the headlines across not only Spain, but all of world football earlier this week.

As much came after a series of photos came to the fore online, showcasing the latter bathing Barca’s latest breakout sensation as a baby.

Little further context was provided, leaving fans understandably confused.

It was in turn revealed by the Blaugrana themselves that the encounter came as part of a ‘solidarity calendar’, from back in 2008:

Also widely suggested, though, was that Messi had in the process passed down some of his brilliance on the pitch to a young Lamine, who has since established himself as arguably the game’s standout talent.

Speaking in an interview with Jijantes on Friday, it therefore came as little surprise when the subject of the photoshoot was for the first time put to Lamine himself.

And the 16-year-old went on to assure that the early meeting between the pair was little more than a ‘coincidence’:

“The picture with Messi? It’s just a coincidence. I never got to talk to him but hopefully one day I will have the opportunity to do so.”

Conor Laird | GSFN