11.11.2026 10:10
The photo Barcelona star Fermin Lopez took with Lionel Messi in 2019 revealed the young footballer's rise over the years. The little boy who posed next to Messi at that time has become one of Barcelona's important figures today. The fact that the 23-year-old Spanish footballer's market value has reached 110 million euros made the story even more remarkable.
In the football world, some photos take on a much different meaning as the years pass. The photo Barcelona's Spanish star Fermin Lopez took with Lionel Messi in 2019 is one of them. Lopez, then still a child, appeared in the same frame with Messi, one of the biggest stars of world football. In the 7 years since, he has made a huge rise in his own football career, embarking on a journey that took him all the way to Barcelona's first team.
IN 2019, HE WAS THE CHILD NEXT TO MESSI
In the photo taken in 2019, Fermin Lopez poses smiling next to Barcelona legend Lionel Messi. The Spanish footballer, who was only 16 at the time, has years later become a world-renowned name wearing the same club's shirt.
The fact that Lopez, who once took a photo with Messi, now wears the number 7 shirt at Barcelona shows how far his football journey has come.
HE GREW UP TAKING MESSI AS A ROLE MODEL
Fermin Lopez's football story took shape at Barcelona's famous academy La Masia. The young footballer, who joined Barcelona's academy in 2016, was loaned to Linares Deportivo in the 2022-2023 season. Scoring 12 goals there and drawing attention, Lopez managed to impress head coach Xavi Hernandez after returning to Barcelona.
The Spanish footballer, who made his name with the goal he scored in a friendly against Real Madrid in the summer of 2023, quickly found a place for himself in the first team. In an interview he gave earlier, Lopez also said he had taken Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta as role models since childhood.
HIS MARKET VALUE REACHED 110 MILLION EUROS
Fermin Lopez, who took a photo with Messi in 2019, today wears Barcelona's number 7 shirt. In the shared current Transfermarkt screenshot, the 23-year-old footballer's market value is shown as 110 million euros.
The young player, who once took a photo next to Messi, whom he admired, is today regarded as one of the most valuable midfielders in European football. These two images, appearing seven years apart, reveal Fermin Lopez's journey from a childhood dream to the summit of professional football.