A heartwarming photo of Lionel Messi and a baby Lamine Yamal has resurfaced, capturing the attention of the football world.
Taken in 2007 during a charity shoot at Barcelona’s Camp Nou, the photo shows a 20-year-old Messi, already on his path to greatness, posing with a baby Yamal.
Fast forward to 2024, and the 16-year-old Yamal is making waves himself, becoming the youngest goalscorer in European Championship history.
The photo, posted by Yamal’s father with the caption “The beginning of two legends,” highlights the unexpected twists of fate. Photographer Joan Monfort, who captured the moment, recalled the challenges of the shoot.
“Messi is a pretty introverted guy, he’s shy,” he said.
“He was coming out of the locker room and suddenly he finds himself in another locker room with a plastic tub full of water and a baby in it. It was complicated. He didn’t even know how to hold him at first.”
The raffle win that brought the Yamal family to the Camp Nou not only resulted in a cherished photo but also foreshadowed Yamal’s future at Barcelona, where he mirrored Messi’s achievements by becoming the club’s youngest player and goalscorer.
Monfort himself expressed delight at the photo’s resurgence, stating the excitement of being linked to such a viral moment.
This story of a chance encounter and the remarkable rise of a young star adds another layer to the magic of football.