E be like film wey get twist wey nobody fit believe. Photo wey show young Lionel Messi dey bath baby Lamine Yamal don burst Internet again, especially as di two stars go face for World Cup final.
Di photo wey bin take for 2007 na real, no be AI or fake. Joan Monfort, di photographer, explain say e happen for UNICEF charity calendar. Family of Yamal enter raffle for neighbourhood of Roca Fonda for Mataro, and dem win chance to take photo for Camp Nou with Barcelona player. Di player wey dem pick na Messi, wey be 20 years old at dat time.
Monfort tell story say Messi no sabi how to hold baby at first. ‘Messi na introvert guy, e shy. E dey come out from dressing room and suddenly e find himself with plastic tub wey full water and baby inside. E be complicated,’ Monfort recall.
Yamal, wey born for July 2007, bin only five months when photo take. E say e no even know about di photo for many years until im father tell am. Social media later catch di photo and e become worldwide sensation.
Barcelona starlet Yamal don set im target for dream final against Argentina. For interview with Mundo Deportivo, e say e want swap jersey with Messi and face Argentina for final. Di two sides bin plan to meet for Finalissima for March for Qatar, but security concerns for Middle East cause cancellation.
Messi, wey now dey play for Argentina, don praise Yamal for several occasions. E say di young player remind am of im own early years and describe am as one of di best players for world despite im age.
Now, almost 20 years after dat chance encounter, fate bring dem together again. Dis time no be for charity photo, but for World Cup final where di trophy dey at stake. One photograph connect dia past. Now, 90 minutes go define dia legacy.
Argentina get 12-match winning streak and dey aim to become first back-to-back World Cup champion since Brazil for 1962. But dem first must pass England wey dey form and get gutsy performances.
Di photo don become one of most remarkable sports photos of all time. Monfort, di photographer, say e no fit believe di luck. ‘Chances of all dis happening na like winning lottery,’ e say. ‘Although e no sort me out financially for life.’
As di world dey wait for di final, di photo dey remind us say football sometimes get stories wey pass imagination. From baby wey dem bath for plastic tub to World Cup finalist, Yamal journey dey show say anything fit happen for football.
