Photographer Joan Monfort Reveals Story Behind Viral Messi-Lamine Yamal Baby Photo
Spanish photographer Joan Monfort describes the behind-the-scenes story of a 2007 photo featuring a 20-year-old Lionel Messi bathing a 3-month-old Lamine Yamal for a UNICEF calendar. The image resurfaced in 2024 before the Euro semi-final, gaining viral attention after Yamal's father posted it. Monfort details the 16-minute shoot in Camp Nou's visitors' locker room, using his own daughter's bath toys. He reflects on the improbable coincidence that both players faced each other in the 2024 World Cup final nearly 19 years later, calling it a 'passing of the torch.' The photographer notes the unverifiable statistic of 1 in 625 trillion odds circulating on social media, and expresses awe at the seemingly fated connection between the two Barcelona stars.
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