Source telegraph India
BARCELONA — Almost two decades ago, freelance photojournalist Joan Monfort snapped a series of charity calendar photos showing a long-haired, 19-year-old Lionel Messi tentatively giving a bath to a tiny baby boy. At the time, it was simply a whirlwind assignment for local newspaper Sport and UNICEF.
Fast forward to today, and that anonymous infant has blossomed into 19-year-old superstar Lamine Yamal. With Argentina set to clash with Spain in the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026™ final this Sunday, Monfort finds himself at the center of a global phenomenon—and emotionally conflicted.
“My heart is split. I don’t know if I want Messi or Yamal to win,” Monfort admitted honestly from his home in Barcelona.
A Coincidence Beyond Explanation
The photograph, which lay forgotten in family albums until Yamal’s father posted it on social media during Euro 2024, has been dubbed the ultimate “full circle” moment in football history. Luck dictated that Yamal’s mother won a UNICEF raffle in Mataró to participate, and pure chance paired her child with Messi.
At the time, organizers recalled that Messi was introverted and “stiff as a broom,” having never held a baby before. Monfort even had to use a plastic duck borrowed from his own daughter to get the infant Yamal to smile.
Now, the sheer cinematic poetry of the two squaring off for the sport’s ultimate prize has exploded worldwide.
“I have never been a believer or thought that anything was destined to occur, but I am beginning to have my doubts. This is beyond all reasonable explanations. It is better than any film script.”
— Joan Monfort
The Ultimate Barcelona Dilemma
As a lifelong Barcelona supporter, the 58-year-old photographer is caught between two eras of greatness. On one side stands Messi, the player he holds an “everlasting love” for as the greatest of all time. On the other stands Yamal, the teenager who broke the mold at Camp Nou and represents a modern, diverse generation for Spain.
While professional media outlets bombard him for image rights and social media users share the picture millions of times over, Monfort is just trying to figure out how to watch the match. Whether he travels to the stadium in New Jersey or tunes in from home, he knows the final whistle will bring a bittersweet joy.
“Maybe they can both win,” Monfort mused. “I wouldn’t rule it out after everything we have seen.”
