In Italy and probably elsewhere in Europe, only the most devoted Bundesliga fans will know much about Han-Noah Massengo, the 25-year-old French midfielder at Augsburg. At the same time, though, the name may be more familiar to photography enthusiasts. Massengo is not only a footballer but also a professional photographer: he publishes his work on Instagram, holds exhibitions and shoots campaigns in collaboration with his own club. And because he spends most of his life doing something else — playing football — he must be very, very good at the other thing he does. What stands out most in Massengo’s work, in fact, is his ability to bring the two together, creating a sort of crossover between football and photography. On 10 July, the Augsburg midfielder presented his first exhibition at Ecke Galerie in Augsburg, Germany, accompanied by a photobook titled Anyone knows how to say behind the scenes in German? — literally, “Does anyone know how to say ‘Behind the scenes’ in German?”
With this project, Massengo wanted to capture the life of a professional footballer, from the dressing room to training, from the energy of supporters in the stands to beers after the match, and then the quieter moments at home with his family. Across the book’s 180 images, fans and photography enthusiasts can glimpse a side of the game that very few people ever get to see from this close: the highs and lows, but above all the everyday life of professional athletes. According to Massengo, that life is not particularly extraordinary: “I want people to understand that footballers are normal people,” he said. “We face the same difficulties as everyone else, we’re just lucky enough to be able to do what we love. I hope people can read the book and recognise scenes from their own lives. The only difference is that they happen in a dressing room or on a football pitch.”
Massengo spent his entire first year in Germany carrying a film camera with him and documenting his experience — he joined Augsburg in summer 2025, having previously played for Monaco, Bristol City, Auxerre and Burnley — and the photographs soon found their way back to the club. Augsburg entrusted him with the photography for the launch campaign of its Away shirt for the 2026/27 season. Below is the post published in collaboration between the player, Augsburg and Mizuno, the brand behind the shirt.
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Massengo did more than take the photographs, though: he also oversaw the creative direction of the campaign, built around a fairly complex idea. The colours and design of the shirt are inspired by Augsburg’s historic water management system, a UNESCO World Heritage site, making the jersey a tribute to the city’s identity and, at the same time, a reference to sustainability. And there is more: Massengo chose the subjects to photograph, the styling, the location and the tone of the shoot. In other words, when it came to the shirt, he was at the centre of it before he had even put it on. Not nothing, and certainly not a given.