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“This was a difficult photo to take,” said Joan Monfort Competitor. “You could say I shed some blood to get it.
“(Lionel) Messi is still very shy now; he was even more shy when he first started, and he found himself in a plastic bathtub full of water with a little baby. And his mother. 1 At first, there wasn’t much interaction from both sides and it was difficult for all of them, but, little by little, it started happening, and in the end, it was a really good photo.
In December 2007, Monfort took a photo of 20-year-old Lionel Messi, who had been born for more than four years, and Lamine Yamal, just six months old. His legendary Barcelona career began before that time.
It was featured in the 2008 Charity Calendar organized by the FC Barcelona Foundation and the Catalan newspaper El Sport, and the funds raised will be donated to UNICEF and various non-governmental organizations across Catalonia. including charitable organizations.
Members of the Barcelona team were photographed with children. Over the years, hundreds of families have collaborated with the initiative and most of the photos are now forgotten, except for those of the children who treasure private memories.
As it happened, Barca’s future teenage star Yamal ended up partnering with the man who would go on to win the Ballon d’Or eight times.
The bathing photo, along with others from the shoot, including one of Messi cradling baby Yamal in a towel and another of his mother, Sheila Ebana, helping her son bathe, have returned to the public eye , after a photo was posted on Thursday night, Mounir Nasraoui, father of Barca player Yamal, the record-breaking The 16-year-old will represent Spain at this summer’s European Cup.
“It’s unbelievable,” Monfort said. “At that time, no one could have imagined that this baby would become what he is now, and you couldn’t have known that Messi would become what he is now.
“We are talking about 2007. Messi had just started playing for Barcelona. Destiny plays a big role in these things.
In December 2007, Messi had already won two La Liga championships and a Champions League championship, but in a team composed of veteran stars such as Ronaldinho, Eto’o, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, and Henry, Messi is still just an emerging talent in the team.
“They give you a list of players – 12: one for each month,” Monfort said. “You have to take your time. Often football players come in and say: ‘Come on, let’s start. I’m in a hurry; what do you want me to do? ‘.
“It can be a bit cold, especially in a photo that requires two people who don’t know each other to interact. Then when one is six months old and the other is twenty, it can be difficult, but the result not bad.
“The mother helps a lot. Her presence is super necessary so the baby doesn’t find it too weird. What you’re looking for is an image of tenderness – something sweet and nice.
Lamine Yamar is a revelation for Spain at Euro 2024 (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Monfort said he always tries to make sure every family gets a copy of the photos he takes to preserve their own, especially in this case considering how hard Yamal’s mother went to get him from Barcelona The northeastern town of Mataro is brought to the Camp Nou.
“I always wanted to take a picture of them; it made them really happy,” Monfort said. “The players may not be too worried, but the parents of the children will be very excited. They live in Mataro, 40 kilometers from Barcelona. Not everyone will do this, even with young babies. They have to go , and then wait for the player to arrive; everything is ready.
Six and a half years later, Yamal joined Basala Masia’s youth academy and began taking the Mataro train regularly.
deeper
What makes Lamine Yamal such a special footballer?
His progress has been phenomenal: making his La Liga debut at the age of 15 in April 2023, his international debut last September at the age of 16, and now Yamal is a key part of the Spanish team, which lost 2-1 on Friday. Defeated Germany and reached the semi-finals of Euro 2024.
“The chance of this happening is one in a million,” Monfort said. “This is such a blessing.
Lionel Messi is currently playing for Argentina in the Copa America (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
“It happens more now with people having mobile phones and sharing photos, but it’s like Guardiola doing it for (former Barcelona and England manager) Terry Venables when he was a kid ) applauded as he was carried on the players’ shoulders, Pep posted this photo after Venables’ death.
This photo was taken of the 15-year-old Guardiola in April 1986. He himself was a student at La Masia and a ball boy for Barcelona. He later became a Barcelona player and coach and is now the manager of Manchester City. It’s halfway through three years. Gally raised.
These days, Monfort is still taking photos for Madrid-based Diario AS. He was surprised when a former colleague from Daily Sport contacted him after a photo of Messi and Yamal was posted and went viral.
“He asked me, ‘Is this a picture of me?'” Monfort said. “I said yes.” He sent me the photo and I asked him: “Who is the child?” ” He started laughing and said “ Lamin, Lamin ”.
“He told me his dad had posted it on social media. In the sports world, they couldn’t believe it. They had just realized it.
“It was all really surprising. We took a lot of photos, a lot of images. Some of them will remain.
“Ramine grew up to be a footballer and took this photo and I’m really happy that it happened. It’s especially good in football today because a lot of it is about money and power.
deeper
Spain’s Lamine Yamar passes school exam during Euro 2024
(Above: “Diario Sport”/Joan Monfort)
