Lamine Yamal, the Spanish football wonderkid from Barcelona, was born into a multicultural family with a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother. He identifies as Muslim, a faith that reflects his Moroccan roots and family heritage.
Quick Profile: Lamine Yamal
| Full Name | Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana |
| Date of Birth | 13 July 2007 |
| Place of Birth | Esplugues de Llobregat (Barcelona area), Spain |
| Family | Father: Mounir Nasraoui (Moroccan); Mother: Sheila Ebana (Equatorial Guinean); Half-brother: Keyne; Sister: Baraa |
| Religion | Islam |
| Major Awards | Kopa Trophy (2024, 2025), Golden Boy (2024), Laureus Breakthrough of the Year (2025), Young Player of the Euro (2024) |
What Religion is Lamine Yamal?
Lamine Yamal is Muslim, a faith he practices quietly but openly when it comes up. Raised in a mixed Moroccan-Equatorial Guinean family, his grandmother played a big role in teaching him Islamic values, including a special prayer (dua) he says before stepping onto the pitch for good luck.
During Ramadan, Yamal fasts even while training with Barcelona, stepping aside from water breaks to stay true to it. In a March 2025 interview, he explained, “I fast during Ramadan, it is about your faith and your religion. I believe in my religion and I’m healthy enough to fast.” When asked about winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or, he replied simply, “Insha’Allah,” showing how his beliefs stay personal and close to home.
Yamal doesn’t post much about it on social media or in press conferences, but moments like stepping aside during team water breaks to honor his fast show his commitment.
Early Life
Lamine Yamal was born on July 13, 2007, in Esplugues de Llobregat, a suburb near Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. His mom, Sheila Ebana, worked as a waitress and was born in Bata, Equatorial Guinea; his dad, Mounir Nasraoui, was a building painter from Larache, Morocco. They named him after two family friends, Lamine and Yamal, who helped them out financially right before he arrived.
Yamal’s upbringing was humble and multicultural. After his parents separated, he lived mainly with his mother in Mataró, Catalonia.
From childhood, he showed an exceptional love for football. He often played on the streets of Rocafonda—a tough neighborhood where he learned quick feet, resilience, and creativity. His talent didn’t go unnoticed; scouts from Barcelona spotted him at a very young age, and by the time he was 7, he joined La Masia, the club’s world-famous youth academy.
Career Highlights
Yamal’s rise has been extraordinary. Some key moments:
- He debuted for Barcelona’s first team in April 2023 at age 15 years and 9 months, becoming the club’s youngest ever first-team player.
- In the 2023-24 season, he made 50 appearances across competitions for Barcelona, showcasing scoring and assisting, breaking numerous records.
- On the international stage he featured for Spain, including Euro 2024 where he became the youngest player ever in the tournament and scored in it.
- In 2024 Yamal won the Golden Boy Award (for best under-21 player in Europe) and the Kopa Trophy.
- He signed a contract extension in May 2025 keeping him at Barcelona until 2031, reportedly earning around €15 million per season before bonuses.
Personal Life
Yamal’s personal life mixes deep family ties, humility and a strong sense of identity rooted in his heritage. His grandmother’s immigrant story—coming from Morocco to Spain and doing multiple jobs to support the family—was highlighted by him in an interview as central to his journey. He credits his mother and grandmother for sacrifices and says making his family’s lives better “is everything a child could wish for.”
Though still a teenager, Yamal has already used his earnings and stature to help family: one article reported he let his mother choose the house she wanted, remarking “She’s my queen.”
In relationships, he went public with Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole (María José Gómez, 25) in August 2025 for her birthday, posting a photo to his 37.6 million followers. They met at his 18th birthday in July; she’s attended matches (he’s unbeaten with her there), and they’ve hung with teammates. But by October 2025, rumors of a split surfaced after he deleted their photo, with reports saying it ended just 13 days after going public—some say she moved on to another player.
Awards and Recognition
- Ballon d’Or runner-up (2025)
- UEFA Nations League Finals top score (2025)
- Youngest scorer in UEFA Euro history (2024)
- La Liga Breakthrough Talent of the Year (2024)
- Golden Boy nominee (2024)
- Spain National Team Debut at 16 years old
- UEFA Champions League youngest starter for Barcelona (2023)
Trivia
- Yamal’s first name “Lamine” is of Arabic origin, meaning “shining” or “radiant”.
- He is fluent in Spanish, Catalan, and some Arabic.
- His father once said in an interview that Yamal “never misses Ramadan fasting unless football schedules make it impossible.”
- He became the youngest Spanish player ever to start an international match at 16.
- Growing up, his idol was Lionel Messi, and he now wears the same No. 10 shirt at Barcelon.
