Getty Images has already captured many iconic moments at the FIFA Club World Cup. Over one million photos of supporters from around the globe attending matches, and of iconic players such as Lionel Messi, will be taken.
A picture is worth a thousand words is a popular saying, and one which the Director of Major Event Operations at Getty Images, Sandra Montanez, believes in. Speaking exclusively to FanSided on a Zoom call from the United States, Montanez said, "Every article gets more interesting with a picture. It needs a picture to get attraction. Words are important, but a picture can definitely tell a lot of things. With a picture, you have time to really look at it, rather than video, which creates a lot of clicks fast, but with a still image, you can see the emotion much deeper."
Montanez was passionate about photography since her primary school days, but her path to working for Getty was not straightforward. She worked for Volkswagen, studied business administration, and worked for a magazine as a photographer before going into sports photography. Sports is her passion, and she is a fan of the German club, FC St. Pauli. Montanez lived in Hamburg, so this was her local team. Montanez now lives in Barcelona, so she was disappointed that Hansi Flick's side did not qualify for the Club World Cup.
The first major soccer tournament Montanez worked on as a photographer was the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. Then, her first World Cup as Director of Major Event Operations was when Russia hosted it in 2018. She has also worked at the Olympic Games and has ambitions to work at a big entertainment event such as the Grammy Awards or the Met Gala.
Montanez now does less photography in her current role, but still puts her talents to good use. "I miss taking pictures. My family is suffering sometimes because (I'm like) we need to wait for better light later on! Here (at the Club World Cup) I was taken back on the cameras as well. So I was shooting four or five matches, when we did not have all the team together yet. It is like riding a bicycle, even though the technology has changed. I was asking if someone can change the setting back to 1998!"
Working as a photographer has been a valuable experience for Montanez in her role with Getty. "I can put myself very well into their shoes. So I know what is needed for them when traveling. Hotels have to be big enough for all the gear. The distances, is it better to stay near a stadium or near an airport, and things like this."
Getty's photographers at the Club World Cup have travelled from countries including Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, and many were already based in the United States. These photographers are very clued up on soccer, so they know which players to focus on. "Our team really knows and is prepared, there are so many teams (at the Club World Cup) which not everybody knew. The players of Fluminense, of Al-Hilal, you learn through the tournament, and your knowledge grows with it. We have the editing team as well, so if a story breaks while they are shooting, they are alerting them on our communication channels."
Getty had five to six photographers at each group stage match of the Club World Cup. At the final, they will have 20 photographers along with 10 remote cameras in various places around the stadium. Some teams have even allowed photographers to be in the dressing room when the players arrive.
The Club World Cup has been a learning curve for Getty ahead of the World Cup next year, which will be co-hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. "In the past, we had the Confederations Cup. Then, because of Qatar (2022) and the weather, they moved the World Cup to the winter they could not hold the Confederations Cup anymore. They implemented the Arab Cup as a test event a year out. So we are used to having a test event a year out (from the World Cup), but this is the biggest ever.
"The Arab Cup, which was in Qatar, was the easiest logistically for us to organize. We had everyone in one place, which was really good for the team. We are now being spread across three countries (for 2026). After this tournament (Club World Cup), we will debrief and take all our learnings for 2026, where we will have even more photographers."
2026 is sure to be a busy your for Getty with the Winter Olympics also being held that year in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Montanez is already planning for both major sporting events, as well as having meetings ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.