I get the basic context: 2007 UNICEF photoshoot, Messi with a baby, charity calendar, etc. That part is clear.
But what I don’t get is the specific framing.
Why is Messi giving the baby a bath?
Out of every possible innocence/care setup, why that one?
They could have done:
Messi holding the baby.
Messi playing with toys beside him.
Messi sitting with the family.
Messi giving him a football.
Messi surrounded by children in a normal UNICEF-style setting.
But a 20year old footballer giving a random baby a bath as a photoshoot concept? That’s such an oddly intimate setup.almost a baptism like image. Whether intentional or not, the visual language feels strange.
If this were some religious anti-abortion ad with a mother holding a baby to create sympathy, I could at least understand the emotional mechanism.
But a footballer bathing a baby?
I don’t know, man. It doesn’t look casual to me. It feels like there is some strange symbolism in the image, or at least a very unusual artistic choice.
What exactly were they trying to communicate with that frame?
I’m genuinely curious what others think
Posted by Pretty-Pen-620
10 Comments
What’s he doing with his left hand???
I agree with everything you say.
I have no idea what you’re talking about but it’s a dude washing a ba…. oh, I just looked him up. Dude has traumateyes
Keep in mind. He is 20 and probably doesn’t question directions at photo shoots or promos.. at the same time he could know very well that thats weird and he’s one of them.
He’s a weird looking dude
Have you noticed that bringing up the World Cup in a conspiratorial context triggers a wave of abuse from bots and shills? Fishy!
[https://youtu.be/_41hhUo1Scw](https://youtu.be/_41hhUo1Scw)
This video is long but it’s a great deepdive into the Messi-Lamal weirdness.
All I think of is the movie “Goat” by Jordan Peele. Procedure of preparing the next successful athlete.
And how high is the chance for that baby to become one of the best football players? So strange.
Maybe they are really cloning designed humans…
Honestly, someone probably just thought “you know what would make Messi look so personable and caring? Giving a baby a bubble bath! 💡” I don’t think there’s anything nefarious about this. It’s most likely just supposed to look ‘cute’ – baby Yamal is adorable 🥰!
And as someone else said – Messi probably just thought “Eh, whatever. I’m getting paid for this” (in Spanish of course! Haha)
Given todays climate poor choice for a photo shoot. On the bright side at least it has Messi rubbing soap on the naked baby and not Messi rubbing one out to the naked baby.