Lamine Yamal has a bright footballing future ahead of him. The forward made his first team debut in late April 2023, becoming the youngest player to wear the famous Barcelona shirt in Spain’s first division. Yamal didn’t score or assist, but in ten minutes, he demonstrated why many in Barcelona’s academy consider him the ‘mini Messi’.
Lamine Yamal has a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother
Lamine Yamal was born on 13th July 2007 to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother. His parents’ identities are unclear.
Yamal grew up in Mataro, Spain. His parents recognized his footballing potential and signed him to Barcelona’s academy at age 5.
Yamal is Spanish and has played for Spain’s youth teams. However, he could choose to play for his parents’ home nations. Morocco is considered the most likely destination for Yamal if he leaves the Spanish national team setup.
Rabie Takassa, a Moroccan Federation scout based in Europe, told Carrusel Deportivo that he is monitoring Yamal’s situation. Takassa said:
“Everyone talks about him and asks if we are going to steal him, in inverted commas, from Spain. His father is Moroccan, his mother is from Equatorial Guinea and he was born in Spain, so he can choose between three teams. In the end, he will play where he feels best, where his heart tells him.”
“He is a player that I love and I will always be a fan – wherever he plays – because I like players of this type, differential players,” Takassa added.