Barcelona Prodigy Lamine Yamal: 17-Year-Old Sensation Shines for Club and Country

Born in 2007 in Esplugas de Llobregat (Barcelona) to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother, Yamal started football at the La Roca del Vallès club before joining La Masia, Barça’s academy. Quickly, he imposed himself with his talent and climbed the ranks, arousing the interest of Xavi Hernandez who called him up to the Barça first team in 2023. In the meantime, the 17-year-old striker has chosen to play for La Roja to the detriment of the Atlas Lions, becoming the youngest player to make his debut with the Spanish national team. Since then, the prodigy has been racking up precocity records, both in club and in selection. Yamal is among other things the youngest player and goalscorer of a Euro final and since last Saturday, the youngest goalscorer of a Clasico (Barça-Real Madrid).

The Spanish international is the pride of his parents and the residents of the Rocafonda district in Mataró where he grew up. Although separated, his parents, Mounir and Sheila, have always supported him in his journey and his meteoric rise. His father has missed almost none of his matches. Recently, he was the victim of an assault in broad daylight in a parking lot in the Rocafonda district, recalls ABC, adding that this incident aroused the emotion and indignation of the residents of the district as well as Yamal’s fans. The young player also has strong ties with Fatima Nasraoui, his grandmother of Moroccan origin. Yamal likes to spend time with her and savor the traditional Moroccan dishes and tea she prepares for him with love.

On the love life side, Lamine Yamal would have been in a relationship with Alex Padilla, a student from Barcelona. The 17-year-old player has never confirmed the information. The Barça striker and the young Spanish woman had taken advantage of their vacation in Greece, according to photos published on social networks. Later, the young woman was seen with another young man in a live on TikTok, which fueled recent rumors about their possible breakup. In any case, Yamal remains focused on his career and has started the season in great shape. At only 17 years old, the Barça striker has already written his name in the history of world football.