While Lamine Yamal and his teammates were celebrating in the United States Spain's advancement to the final of the 2026 World Cup after defeating France, two individuals wearing ski masks attempted to break into his mansion in the Ciutat Diagonal residential area of Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, in the early hours of Wednesday.
The attempt was thwarted by the footballer's private security team, who detected the intruders through the surveillance cameras as they were already climbing one of the outer walls.
One of the hooded figures was dressed entirely in black, and the other in gray.
What happened that early morning
The incident took place around four in the morning, just a few hours after Spain eliminated France 2-0 in the semifinals of the tournament at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Upon being discovered, the two assailants climbed down from the wall and fled without completing the theft. The guards immediately alerted the Mossos d'Esquadra, who arrived at the residence, and the División de Investigación Criminal (DIC) of the Catalan police initiated proceedings for attempted burglary with force.
That same early morning, at least two other burglaries were reported in homes within the same luxury development, although authorities have not yet confirmed whether the perpetrators are the same.
An organized gang in the spotlight
According to the program Y ahora Sonsoles on Antena 3, the two individuals "are the same thieves that are operating in the southern area of Barcelona and "are part of a criminal organization of Albanian-Kosovars known to the Police, the Mossos, and the Civil Guard."
This type of band travels across Europe with a focus on the residences of elite football players, drawn by their collections of jewelry and watches.
Yamal has showcased on social media his passion for pieces with an urban aesthetic and eighteen-carat diamonds, and shared images of the mansion in a video before traveling to the World Cup, which increased the property's public visibility.
The attempt is not an isolated case: in February, Pau Cubarsí and Joan García were victims of a wave of assaults on Barça players in the metropolitan area, with loot of around 6,000 euros in each case.
The mansion that belonged to Piqué and Shakira
The property is a highly publicized residence that Yamal acquired in October 2025 for 11 million euros: it features 3,800 square meters across three floors and two basements, complete with swimming pools, a football field, and a recording studio.
Before being owned by the footballer, it was the home of Gerard Piqué and Shakira during their relationship, and the setting for several media controversies following the couple's separation in 2022.
Abdul, uncle of Lamine Yamal, downplayed the incident in statements to Telecinco: "I learned about the attempted robbery from La Vanguardia; we are not worried because it is a very secure house and it is absolutely impossible to break in."
The father's outrage over Lamine
Mounir Nasraoui, father of the football player, spoke on Y ahora Sonsoles to express his outrage, as reported by HuffPost. When the journalist referred to the assailants as "two hooded individuals," Nasraoui corrected her: "Well, they should be called two scoundrels, not two hooded individuals. There are hooded singers who make music, and these hooded ones steal."
Lamine's father, of Moroccan origin and raised in humble conditions, emphasized that he never turned to crime despite the hardships: "I haven't stolen, to be honest. I picked up scrap metal, but I've never stolen from people."
Nasraoui also explained why he didn't travel to the World Cup, unlike the player's mother and younger brother: "I am an epileptic person. I have to take quite a few pills each day, and sometimes I can have an epileptic seizure. If I'm going to bring problems, it's better to stay home and watch it from here."
Spain will compete in the 2026 World Cup final against Argentina on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with Lamine Yamal as one of its major stars.
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