Images of Lionel Messi holding Spain’s Euro hero Lamine Yamal as an infant have recently emerged following Yamal’s memorable goal in the semi-final against France last night. The photos capture Messi, an eight-time Ballon D’Or recipient and universally acknowledged as the best footballer in history, happily holding a swaddled Yamal.
Following his impressive 25-yard goal against France in Munich last night, the young Barcelona talent has made history as the youngest player to ever score at the Euros, at just 16 years and 362 days old.
This incredible goal helped Spain secure a 2-1 victory over Didier Deschamps’ team and secured their spot in Sunday’s final, marking the country’s first final since their 2012 victory over Italy with a 4-0 scoreline.
The images, originally captured in 2007 for a charitable calendar, were recently shared on Instagram by Yamal’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, with the caption: ‘The beginning of two legends.’
New images of Lionel Messi alongside Spain’s Euro hero Lamine Yamal when he was just a baby have recently come to light.
After scoring a remarkable 25-yard goal against France last night in Munich, the talented Barcelona youngster has made history as the youngest player to ever score at the Euros at just 16 years and 362 days old.
In a heartwarming image, Yamal can be seen sitting in a blue plastic bathtub while Argentina’s Messi shares a laugh and reaches out a hand to him. Yamal’s mother is also captured in the picture, crouching next to the football legend and her awe-struck son.
The photos were taken by 56-year-old Joan Monfort at Barcelona’s Camp Nou, where Messi had a legendary 17-year career, making over 500 appearances and scoring 474 goals. Monfort, a freelance photographer for The Associated Press, mentioned that the shoot happened in the visitors’ locker room when Yamal was just a few months old.
The photo shoot was part of a calendar project where Barcelona players posed with children and their families as a part of an annual charity initiative by local newspaper Diario Sport and UNICEF. Monfort was responsible for the photo shoots and lucked out by pairing Messi with Yamal’s family for the memorable session.
Members of the Barcelona team were photographed alongside children and their families for a calendar project organized by the local publication Diario Sport and UNICEF as part of their yearly charity initiative.
In one photo, Yamal is seen sitting in a blue plastic bathtub, with Messi from Argentina laughing and reaching out to him. Beside them is Yamal’s mother, who hails from Equatorial Guinea. The calendar featuring these photos was created in collaboration with UNICEF, who organized a raffle in the neighborhood of Roca Fonda in Mataró where Lamine’s family resided. Families participated in the raffle for a chance to have their picture taken at the Camp Nou with a Barcelona player, and Yamal’s family was the lucky winner, as explained by Mr. Monfort.
Recalling the experience, Mr. Monfort mentioned that it was not an easy task, as Messi was unsure about how to interact with baby Yamal, who was placed in a plastic tub for the photo shoot. Describing Messi as introverted and shy, Mr. Monfort shared that Messi appeared confused initially when he entered the room to find a baby in a tub of water. The situation was tricky for Messi, who struggled to figure out how to hold the baby at first.
At the time of the photo shoot, Messi was only 20 years old and already recognized as a talented player. However, it would take a couple more years before he would establish himself as the most exceptional player of his generation, both for Barcelona and the national team of Argentina.
Yamal was overjoyed and celebrated enthusiastically following his amazing goal against France in Munich last evening.
Messi from Argentina is often hailed as the greatest soccer player in history, depicted here lifting the World Cup trophy in Qatar 2022.
Similar to Messi, Yamal has also completed his training at the prestigious La Masia youth academy in Barcelona.
Yamal smiles for a picture alongside his little brother and mother after Spain secured a 2-1 victory last night.
After defeating Brazil 1-0 in the 2021 final, Messi lovingly plants a kiss on the Copa America trophy. This Sunday, Argentina will once again strive to emerge victorious in the 2024 final, facing off against the winner of the Colombia v Uruguay match.
Messi has set a new record by winning the Ballon d’Or eight times. A photo of him holding the trophy before his Inter Miami’s friendly against New York City in 2023 is a testament to his success.
Similar to Messi, Yamal also passed through Barcelona’s prestigious La Masia youth academy. Despite his young age, he has been showcasing his talent as one of Spain’s top players at Euro 2024. His team is set to face France in the semifinals on Tuesday. Yamal will be celebrating his 17th birthday on Saturday, just a day before the final in Berlin.
Monfort, a seasoned sports photographer since 1991 who has shadowed Barcelona across the globe, was surprised to discover that the person in the photos from 2007 was Yamal. The realization came when a friend reached out to him as the images began circulating online.
Reflecting on his career, Monfort expressed that he has never encountered such widespread excitement over any of his photos. He finds it exhilarating to be connected with something that has caused such a commotion, describing the experience as a truly pleasant sensation.
