Messi and Yamal set for World Cup final clash after historic photo resurfaces
A photograph taken almost two decades ago, featuring a young Lionel Messi holding an infant Lamine Yamal, has gained significant attention ahead of the World Cup final. The image, captured in 2007 by photographer Joan Monfort, shows Messi bathing Yamal in a plastic bathtub as part of a charity calendar project. This photograph has become a focal point as Messi’s Argentina is set to face Yamal’s Spain in the upcoming final.
Monfort, a freelance photojournalist, initially did not consider the photo shoot particularly remarkable. However, the unexpected turn of events, with both individuals now preparing to compete for the sport’s biggest trophy, has led to the image going viral. Monfort expressed his surprise at the situation, stating that it goes “beyond all reasonable explanations.”
The charity calendar, a collaboration between local newspaper Sport and UNICEF, involved families from Mataró, near Barcelona. Yamal’s mother won a raffle to participate, and fate paired her baby with Messi, who would later become one of football’s most celebrated players. Messi, who is 20 years older than Yamal, left Barcelona in 2021 due to the club’s financial difficulties, while Yamal emerged as a star for the club two years later.
The viral photograph and its impact
The photograph remained largely forgotten until Yamal’s father shared it on social media during the 2024 European Championship. At that time, Yamal, then 16 years old, was making his international debut and helped Spain secure the European title. The image quickly gained traction, and its popularity has surged further with the impending World Cup final.
Monfort noted that the interest in his photos has “exploded all over the world,” with the final being held in the U.S. contributing to its widespread reach. He described the scenario as “better than any film script.” The photographer has received numerous inquiries from media outlets and has observed his images being widely reproduced online without proper credit or compensation.
Mikel Merino, a teammate of Yamal’s, reacted to the photo with disbelief, initially thinking it was an AI-generated image. He expressed his amazement at the connection between two players, one already established as a football legend and the other, Yamal, with the potential to reach similar heights. Merino hopes for a compelling final featuring both players at their best.
La Masia’s influence on both players
The footballing philosophies that shaped both Messi and Yamal originated from La Masia, Barcelona‘s renowned youth academy. La Masia, meaning “The Farmhouse” in English, refers to an old Catalan farmhouse that housed young players between 1979 and 2011. It is recognized for its role in developing technically skilled footballers.
In 2010, La Masia achieved a notable milestone by becoming the first youth academy to have trained all three players on the Ballon d’Or podium: Messi, Xavi, and Andrés Iniesta. That same year, Spain won its only World Cup, with seven Barcelona players in the starting lineup for the final, six of whom were La Masia graduates.
Although the old farmhouse ceased housing players in 2011, moving to a more modern facility, La Masia’s influence continued as a core part of Barcelona’s identity. Yamal’s rise is seen as a representation of Barcelona’s renewed focus on its academy, especially after the club faced significant financial challenges. The two World Cup final squads feature nine academy graduates, with eight playing for Spain and Messi for Argentina.
The academy’s goal was not to replicate specific players but to instill a common footballing tradition focused on ball reception, field awareness, creating space, maintaining width, and understanding positional play. This approach was heavily influenced by the Dutch concept of Total Football, introduced to Barcelona by Rinus Michels and further developed by Johan Cruyff.
Cruyff’s philosophy emphasized that technical intelligence could overcome physical strength, leading the academy to select players based on their understanding of specific functions rather than just physical attributes. Pep Guardiola, a product of this system, later applied these ideas in his coaching career. The final match is scheduled for Sunday.
Read Also
Source: apnews.com
