Lionel Messi posed for photos with a baby in the dressing room of Camp Nou in Barcelona for a charity calendar photoshoot. At the time, Messi was already gaining recognition as a rising star in football, a status he would solidify as one of the greatest players of all time. Little did anyone know then that the baby, Lamine Yamal, would also carve his own path in international football less than 17 years later, capturing headlines with his standout performance at the European Championships.
Messi, just 20 years old at the time of the photoshoot, was already a key player for Barcelona and destined for football greatness. Meanwhile, Yamal’s journey began with a simple yet profound moment captured in those photographs, which resurfaced recently after his father shared them on Instagram with the caption, “The beginning of two legends.”
The images, originally taken by freelance photographer Joan Monfort for a charity event organized by Unicef, tell a story of unexpected connections and future achievements. According to Monfort, the photoshoot came about after Yamal’s family won a raffle organized by Unicef in Mataró, their hometown. The prize was an opportunity to have their picture taken with a Barcelona player at the iconic Camp Nou stadium.
Reflecting on the assignment, Monfort recalled the challenges of the shoot, particularly Messi’s reserved nature. “Messi is a pretty introverted guy, he’s shy,” Monfort explained. “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.”
Despite the initial awkwardness, the photos captured a candid moment of Messi interacting with the baby Yamal, who would later follow in Messi’s footsteps by joining Barcelona’s youth academy. Yamal’s progression through the ranks of Barcelona was notable—he became the club’s youngest ever starter and goalscorer, as well as the youngest scorer in the Spanish league.
The recent resurgence of the photos online brought Monfort’s work back into the spotlight, prompting him to realize the significance of the baby in those pictures. “It was only when the photo started going viral online last week that I realized that the baby was Yamal,” Monfort remarked. “It’s very exciting to be associated with something that has caused such a sensation. To tell you the truth, it’s a very nice feeling.”
Yamal’s recent standout moment came during the European Championships, where, at the age of 16 years and 362 days, he scored a memorable goal against France in the semi-final. This achievement not only made him the youngest scorer in the tournament’s history but also underscored his burgeoning talent and potential on the international stage.
The story of Messi and Yamal serves as a poignant reminder of the unexpected connections and pathways that shape sporting legacies. From a chance encounter in a charity photoshoot to parallel careers in football, their journeys intersect in ways that captivate fans and inspire new generations of athletes. As Messi continues to leave his mark on football history, Yamal’s emergence promises to add a fresh chapter to the sport’s narrative, marked by talent, determination, and the enduring power of shared moments captured in photographs.
