For greater than 30 years, the Barcelona-based photographer Joan Monfort has been a fixture at athletic occasions all through Spain.
Lionel Messi, who was 20 on the time, was photographed by Joan Monfort cradling a new child throughout a UNICEF and Barcelona picture shoot. The Argentine soccer participant additionally posed with the toddler within the bathtub along with his mom.
A 20-year-old Lionel Messi holding child Lamine Yamal throughout a UNICEF charity calendar photoshoot at FC Barcelona in 2007. pic.twitter.com/a5ZQhXZYZ6
— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) May 26, 2025
It turned out that greatness was awaiting greatness. The toddler in query is Lamine Yamal, a teenage sensation from Barcelona and Spain who turned 17 on July 13.
Yamal had been the standout participant at Euro 2024, and his unbelievable objective towards France within the semifinal solidified his standing as probably the most thrilling participant on this planet of soccer. He has since gone onto win the La Liga with Barcelona though he misplaced out on the UEFA Nations League after shedding the Spain vs Barcelona through which he was pocketed by Nuno Mendes earlier than ultimately getting substituted.
“I’m simply dwelling in a dream,” Monfort instructed media because the photographer mirrored on the rollercoaster of feelings he’s skilled.
20 12 months previous Lionel Messi holding child Lamine Yamal (2007)
In September 2007, a 20-year-old Lionel Messi participated in a charity calendar photoshoot organized by FC Barcelona, the newspaper Dario Sport, and Unicef.
Throughout this occasion, Messi was photographed holding and bathing… pic.twitter.com/URa5vXrMOm
— Commuter (@commuterny) May 11, 2025
When Yamal’s father uploaded {a photograph} of the newborn’s mom and the Argentine grinning on the child in a soapy bathtub to his Instagram account with the caption, “The start of two legends,” the photographs of Messi cradling Yamal captured the eye of your entire globe.
In September 2007, a 20-year-old Lionel Messi participated in a charity calendar photoshoot organized by FC Barcelona, the newspaper Dario Sport, and Unicef and through this occasion, Messi was photographed holding and bathing six month previous Lamine Yamal within the guests’ locker room at Camp Nou.
The picture was printed in a 2008 charity calendar organised by Barcelona’s membership basis and Catalan newspaper Diario Sport, with the cash raised going to charitable organisations together with UNICEF and completely different NGOs round Catalonia.
Joan Monfort was a struggling freelance photographer. In 2008 the Sport newspaper commissioned him a number of pictures for what would turn out to be a Christmas calendar.
He solid Messi and a black child known as Lamine for an image.
He can now retire from the royalties this image will get him. https://t.co/QuCBDEtbZ7 pic.twitter.com/Hlu11pad5M
— Nacho Oliveras (@NachoOliveras) July 11, 2024
A whole lot of households collaborated with the initiative for quite a few years and many of the photographs have now been forgotten, exterior of the households of the youngsters who’ve treasured personal recollections.
Then, to start with of July, Monfort unexpectedly bought a name. Previous to the decision, Monfort acknowledges that he had forgotten concerning the image and was unaware of the identification of the toddler who had been shot with Messi. He clarifies that the picture shoot was a element of a UNICEF and Barça fundraising and consciousness marketing campaign.
Yearly, the membership and UNICEF oversaw the trouble, making a calendar that includes the workforce’s high gamers from numerous ethnic backgrounds.
Who’s Joan Monfort?
Joan Monfort is an expert photographer with quite a lot of abilities. He obtained his coaching in Barcelona on the Gris Artwork faculty. With a concentrate on photojournalism, he labored with Mundo Deportivo from 1990 to 1994.
After that, he spent two years working as a movie digicam assistant, nonetheless photographer, promoting photographer, and architectural photographer. He joined the simply launched newspaper ECO in 1996. Joan started working with the publication SPORT in December 1997, and he joined their crew of photographers in 2001.
He was awarded the Sports activities Journalism of Catalonia award in 2006 for his visible journalism work on integration and solidarity with the Futbol Membership Barcelona gamers. He has contributed to a number of collaborative books and exhibitions. The Related Press (AP), SEAT, Banco de Santander, and Again to Eco are his main shoppers as a freelancer.
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