WWhen Lionel Messi scores a shot and you’re behind the goal with a camera in your hand, the scenario is usually clear. You can either capture unique images or get too close to the action. For one photographer during an Inter Miami session, it was the latter that made the difference.
Inter Miami were already in the spotlight ahead of their match against the New York Red Bulls, but one play during practice put Messi back in the spotlight. The Argentine’s powerful shot created an unexpected moment that immediately started going viral on social media.
An off-script training session
The shot didn’t go in the direction I expected. Rather than clearly heading towards the goal, the ball deviated from its trajectory and ended up hitting the camera of a photographer who was several meters away from the match. The force of the shot was enough to damage the lens, and experts were surprised at what happened.
A reporter nearby was able to capture the exact moment of the collision. The image shows both the moment the ball hits the equipment and the photographer’s reaction as he realizes that his work equipment has become useless even before the game has begun.
Scenes like this are rare, even around a player like Messi. Usually being around the Argentine means witnessing moments of quality football, but this memory was extraordinary and became just another anecdote in Inter Miami’s trajectory.
