A black‑and‑white photograph taken in 2007 for a charity calendar has re‑emerged as a cultural touchstone ahead of the World Cup final.
A Shared History
The image, shot by Barcelona‑born photographer Joan Monfort, captures Lionel Messi, then a teenage prodigy, gently bathing a newborn Lamine Yamal, the future Spanish sensation whose mother won a raffle to be part of the shoot.
Monfort, a lifelong supporter of the Catalan club, recalls the day he learned that Yamal’s mother had secured a spot in the raffle, a moment that allowed him to bring the two future stars together under one roof.
After Messi left Barcelona in 2021 amid the club’s financial crisis, Yamal broke through the youth ranks and quickly became a fixture in the first team, a trajectory that has now placed both men on the brink of meeting again in a World Cup final.
Messi, now playing for Inter Miami, sent a brief message of good luck to Yamal before the showdown, while fans worldwide have been split between admiration for the veteran and excitement for the teenage phenom.
The photograph’s resurgence was amplified during the 2024 European Championship, when it began circulating widely on social media, often without credit, prompting discussions about the ethics of sharing historic images.
For Monfort, the picture is more than nostalgia; it is a reminder of the diverse tapestry of modern Spanish football and a personal mission to witness the final in New Jersey, where he hopes to see his two protégés face off on the world stage.