A photo of Barcelona’s teenage sensation Pau Cubarsi as a baby alongside Lionel Messi is currently going viral across social media, find out more about it below
The picture shows a picture of a young baby Cubarsi alongside club legend Lionel Messi.
Is Pau Cubarsi the baby footballer Lionel Messi is seen laying in bed with in old viral photo
A baby Pau Cubarsi was pictured with young Leo Messi 😲 pic.twitter.com/McXuwr8SJf
— Pubity Sport (@pubitysport) June 11, 2025
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Viral baby photo of Barcelona starlet Pau Cubarsi
The viral photo shows a young Pau Cubarsi as a toddler seemingly posing with Lionel Messi during his early years at FC Barcelona. The image has been widely shared across social media, and has sparked a mix of awe and skepticism among fans. Many fans have come out to call it a full-circle moment as Cubarsi is now a star in the same team as his idol.
The truth behind the photo
While the picture represents a heartwarming and full-circle moment, moment, the image is almost certainly fake or misattributed. Despite going viral and sparking excitement, there is currently zero evidence that Messi and Cubarsi were photographed together in childhood and that Cubarsi admitted to being the baby alongside Messi. As such, up until there is a reliable source that emerges, the photo will likely be declared as unverified and fan-made content.
A baby Pau Cubarsi was pictured with young Leo Messi 😲
🗣️ Cubarsi: “Yes, I am the kid with Leo. It’s a long story, but I prefer not to say it today…” 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/P0njrMEmZr
— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) June 12, 2025
Upon a closer examination of the photo and after cross-referencing timelines, there is no verified source confirming the photo’s legitimacy. Moreover, neither FC Barcelona nor any official accounts of the two have acknowledged the image as genuine.
According to social media users, the kid Messi is seen laying in bed with in the old viral picture is his nephew Agustin who had joined La Massia at one point of time before leaving.
Because its not. That is his nephew Agustin, Messi used to bring him to Camp nou and he joined La masia when he was a kid but no more. pic.twitter.com/MuCxhJ3rf9
— KN (@kn2743) June 11, 2025
Pau Cubarsi
Pau Cubarsi Paredes is a young and upcoming footballer who was born on 22 January 2007 in Girona, Spain. He mainly plays as a centre-back for both La Liga club FC Barcelona and the Spain national team. He is currently 18-years-old, and stands at a height of 1.84 meters tall. Pau joined the Barcelona’s youth system in 2022, and then moved to Barcelona Atletic in 2023, where he finally earned his senior debut in 2024.
Reactions
Unsurprisingly, the picture has sparked mixed reactions from fans worldwide. One user wrote:
Born a Culer, now defending the badge like a warrior”.
Another user commented:
a true La Masia success story.”
Meanwhile some users did not believe the authenticity of the photo:
No way this Lionel Messi picture with pau Cubarsi is real ❤️.”
It Can't be real 😂 pic.twitter.com/xZU4Plc3s5
— Austine ✪ (@Austinooffical) June 12, 2025