Lamine Yamal, a rising star for Spain and Barcelona, has revealed why baby photos of him with football legend Lionel Messi were kept private for so long. The photos, taken during a charity calendar shoot in 2007, recently surfaced and quickly went viral.
In an interview, Yamal explained that his father, Mounir Nasraoui, deliberately kept the photos hidden to prevent comparisons with Messi. “My dad had the photos saved and they never came out, basically because we didn’t want the comparisons with Messi,” Yamal told Jijantes. He added, “No one would be annoyed to be compared with the best to ever play the game, but it’s something that could work against you because you’re never going to be like him.”
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The photos, which show Messi bathing a baby Yamal alongside his mother, were part of a charity event. Freelance photographer Joan Monfort, who captured the images for the Associated Press, explained that Yamal’s family won a raffle to have their picture taken with a Barça player at Camp Nou. “They signed up for the raffle to have their picture taken at the Camp Nou with a Barça player. And they won the raffle,” Monfort recalled.
Since the photos emerged, Yamal has been making headlines for his impressive performances on the field. He has provided three assists and scored a crucial goal in Spain’s 2-1 semi-final victory over France.
Despite the attention the photos have garnered, Yamal remains focused on his career. “Obviously, in the moment the photos were taken I wasn’t conscious of what was going on at that age,” he said. “But it’s important to stay grounded and focus on my own journey.”