On 30/6, through a sports page on Instagram, the Argentinian photographer posted a series of old photos of Messi, recounting his impressions of working with him. According to Martin, in 2005, few companies invited Messi to star in advertisements. At that time, he only played for about 10 minutes per match, and no one was certain if the national team coach would call him up to play in the 2006 World Cup.
The crew picked Messi up from his home, filming him juggling the ball at the National Flag Memorial in Rosario, Argentina. "Messi emerged, drenched in sweat, shoelaces untied, and passersby did not even turn to look at him. At that time, he was not the 'Messi' of today, but just a normal, scrawny young man," the photographer recalled.
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Portrait of Messi at 18. Photo: Instagram/ Craquesd0futbol |
Midway through the shoot, the rest of the team departed to prepare costumes, leaving only Nicolas Ferrario Martin and Lionel Messi. While waiting, noticing the young player looked hungry, Martin offered to buy him a hot dog. Messi replied, "But I don't have any money." At that time, he had arrived empty-handed for the shoot, carrying neither a wallet nor any personal belongings. Nicolas Ferrario Martin then bought food for the player, and they sat enjoying it together on the grass. Before parting ways, he told Messi, "The day you win the World Cup, I will tell everyone that I once bought you a hot dog."
The series of photos received hundreds of thousands of shares on social media. Below the post, many fans wished Messi to win the 2026 World Cup.
Photographer Nicolas Ferrario Martin worked in the advertising industry in Argentina in the early 2000s, participating in many international sports and commercial projects.
Messi and his teammates have currently advanced past the World Cup group stage, set to face Cape Verde in the knockout rounds on 4/7. At 39, he maintains good form and is the leader of the Argentina national team. After three matches, the forward has scored six goals, making him one of the leading players in this season's golden boot race.
Thanh Thanh
