"I've been locked up at home these past few days": The photographer who took the picture of Messi giving Yamal a bath explains

Joan Monfort undoubtedly took one of the most viewed photographs in history. His shot of rising star Lionel Messi and baby Lamine Yamal in 2007 seemed innocuous at first, before becoming legendary when the two men met in the World Cup final on July 19, 2026. Tracked down and interviewed by the newspaper L'Équipe, the photographer recounts the story behind this historic moment. He also explains that he is now inundated with interview requests following the success of his photograph.

“I experienced the World Cup final with mixed feelings. When you’re a Barcelona supporter like me, Lionel Messi is a god. It hurt to see him in tears. But that’s sport, there had to be a winner, and I’m obviously very happy for Spain (who beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time), whose team is a joy to watch, with all those players with their unifying message like Borja Iglesias, Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams… This team is a breath of fresh air for society.”

I published my first photo in 1991 in the daily newspaper Mundo Deportivo, before working for several Spanish media outlets and then becoming a freelancer. I do a lot of portraits, in the studio or on the street; I love sports and meeting people. I documented Messi's entire career at Barcelona. A fabulous person on and off the pitch. The photo of him and Yamal that went viral came about through a joint initiative by the newspaper Sport, UNICEF, and Barça to create a calendar featuring club players and children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

A photo of Messi with a child... who was actually a baby!

I was notified the night before. They simply told me, "We're expecting you tomorrow morning at 10:00. You have to take a picture of Messi with a child." It turned out to be a 3-month-old baby. (Laughs.) The challenge was to get Messi, who was 20 at the time, to interact with a baby, whose emotions you obviously can't predict or control. I was giving my daughter a bath while thinking about this important, impromptu mission. The solution was right in front of me: the rubber duck, the bubble soap, the little bathtub... I packed everything in the car the next day.

Sixteen minutes of shooting

The photoshoot took place in the visitors' dressing room at Camp Nou on October 31, 2007. I photographed other stars of the team that morning: Lilian Thuram, Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o, Xavi... Messi wasn't unknown, but he was still far from being the star he is today. If Lamine's family (who had won a raffle to participate in this charity campaign) had had to choose who he would be associated with, they would surely have chosen someone else.

I had sixteen minutes to shoot Messi with the baby. Very little time, then. Lamine's mother was there too. Her presence was invaluable in helping him feel calm and at ease. Messi was surprised when he arrived. It was surely the first time in his life he'd ever held a baby. He was shy and a little embarrassed. Lamine, on the other hand, was very well-behaved. There were no dramas or complications.

"Nobody would believe that scenario, not even in a movie."

I'm usually very critical of my work, which I'm rarely satisfied with. But I look at this photo in a special way because of its symbolism. My immediate reaction was simply that it worked for what we were trying to achieve. Without even realizing it, I had just captured a magical moment with my camera. A kind of power exchange between two geniuses.

I realized who the baby was when Lamine's father posted the photo on Instagram years later, just before the Euro 2024 semi-final against France (2-1, July 9), with the caption: "The beginning of two legends." Before that, nobody knew this photo existed. It's a story that's hard to believe. (He pauses.)

The other day, a journalist colleague told me that the probability of those two ending up playing each other in a World Cup final almost 19 years after this photo was taken was 1 in 625 trillion (an unverifiable statistic circulating on social media). In other words, it's easier to win the lottery. I don't really believe in God. But that photo changed my perspective on life. It's as if it was all predetermined, really. Something happened that day, that much is clear. A miracle? Witchcraft? A divine act? I'm still searching.

No one would believe that scenario, not even in the movies. (Laughs.) There's no logical or scientific explanation. One became the greatest player of all time. The other is following in his footsteps at Barça and just became a world champion at 19.

One day, Barcelona's communications manager introduced me to Lamine, and we had a quick chat. He told me he remembered me, which seems unlikely given his age when we met. (Smiles.) He may have the image of a rock star, but he's a very aware young man. His impact is comparable to Messi's in his early days, but he needs time to develop. If he achieves half of what Leo did, that will already be incredible.

I want to go back to normal life

I've been getting a ton of calls and messages these past few days. I must have done forty or fifty interviews. I'm holed up at home, dealing with all the requests with my wife's help. Messi and Yamal themselves have talked about this photo, which has been shared or commented on by CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Jimmy Fallon's show, the mayor of New York... It's completely crazy. I just want to get back to normal life, to get my feet back on the ground by covering soccer matches.

In the meantime, I'm working on the best way to use this photo. It surpasses anything I've done in my career. Not because it's my favorite or the best, but because of the story it tells and its impact in a world where social media amplifies everything, dizzyingly. A colleague recently asked me, "Are you aware that this might be the most viewed photo in history?" I don't know what to say. It's simply irrational. There's good and bad in all of this. The exposure, on one hand. Hundreds of people who stole this photo without even mentioning my name, on the other. Right now, I ask myself this question before going to sleep and when I wake up: "Why did this happen to me?" I don't know the answer, but I'm starting to believe in fate.