Lamine Yamal, one of the great sensations of the Spanish national team in the 2026 World Cup, made some very personal statements this week in which he spoke about the pressure surrounding his meteoric career… and how he compares it with the life of his parents.
In an interview, the FC Barcelona forward downplayed the pressure attributed to him for being a star at just 18 years old, and emphasized his family history: “Don’t put me in the position of the pressure of ‘it’s easy what you’re experiencing or whatever’, I think there are people who have suffered more.”
To explain it, Yamal spoke directly about his parents: “My mother had me when she was 16, and that is real pressure. My father had to go out and find a way to make a living, going out to collect things in order to bring food home.”
And he concluded with a clear idea: "So that is pressure. All I have to do is play and make sure all the Spaniards are happy."
The statements came after the knockout match of the World Cup, in which Spain defeated Austria 3-0 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and where Yamal was named the best player.
His family history helps to understand his words. His mother, Sheila Ebana, originally from Equatorial Guinea, worked as a waitress during her childhood. His father, Mounir Nasraoui, of Moroccan descent, took on various odd jobs, including painting buildings. They separated when Lamine was three years old, but both have been present in his life.
Yamal himself has also shared that for years he couldn't play in a youth football team due to the economic situation: "I wasn't signed up for football because my parents couldn't afford it. I played in the park with other kids." His luck changed when the director of the La Torreta club offered him the chance to play for free.
After the match against Austria, he was particularly emotional when talking about his family on DAZN, especially seeing his younger brother Keyne celebrating his goal: "It makes me happy to see my brother happy, to see my mother living the life she has always wanted, and to see my friends. It's the greatest dream of a child."
About her brother, she even added a phrase that went viral: “I am in love with my little brother; I love him like a son.”
His father, Mounir Nasraoui, did not travel to the World Cup due to health reasons, as he suffers from epilepsy, which prevents him from making long trips. Spain will face Portugal in the Round of 16 on July 6 at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
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