Barcelona. When renowned photographer John Monfort took pictures of Lionel Messi with a newborn baby for a charity calendar almost 17 years ago, he knew that the long-haired young Argentine would become a big name in the world of football.
However, he would not have imagined that the newborn child that Messi held in his lap would impress the world of football with his skills at such a young age.
In this picture that has been going viral for the last few days, the child that Messi is holding in his arms is the fastest rising player of the present times, Lamin Yamal. Yamal, who made his debut for Spain at the age of just 16, is already being compared to football legends. He became the youngest player ever in the ongoing European Championship in Germany.
Yamal’s father posted this photo taken in 2007 on Instagram last week, writing, “The beginning of two great players.” Monfort, 56, who works as a freelance photographer for the Associated Press and some other institutions, said that this photo shoot took place in the visitors’ locker room at Barcelona’s Camp Nou in 2007. Yamal was just a few months old at that time.
Barcelona players posed with children and their families for a calendar as part of the annual charity campaign of local newspaper Diario Sport and UNICEF. Monfort recalled that time and said that it was not an easy task because Messi did not know how to communicate with Yamal, a child of just a few months. He said, “Messi is a very introverted person, he is shy.” Messi’s brother Yamal has also made the journey from Barcelona’s youth academy to the main team. Even at such a young age, he has emerged as Spain’s best player in the Euro.