Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana: A Prodigy from Catalonia

Early Life and Background of Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana, is a professional footballer from Catalonia, Spain. He currently serves as a right winger for the La Liga team Barcelona and the Spain national team. He is widely recognized as one of the most promising young talents globally. Lamine Yamal was born on 13 July 2007 in Esplugues de Llobregat, in the Barcelona metropolitan area of Catalonia, Spain. His mother, Sheila Ebana, worked as a waitress, while his father, Mounir Nasraoui, was a building painter. Lamine’s mother hails from Bata, Equatorial Guinea, and his father was born in Larache, Morocco. His grandmother, Fatima, moved to Spain from Morocco in 1988, giving Lamine a mixed heritage of Equatoguinean and Moroccan descent. Despite his parents’ separation when he was three, both remained active in his upbringing. Lamine and his mother relocated from Mataró to Granollers during his early years, where he began playing football at the local club La Torreta at the age of four. He would split his time between the two cities to be with his parents.

Lamine Yamal ‘s Early Brush with Fame

In 2007, a young Lionel Messi participated in a charity calendar photoshoot at the Camp Nou in Barcelona, posing for photos with a baby in the dressing room. At the time, Messi was 20 years old and already gaining recognition as a football player.

Little did the photographer know that the baby, Lamine Yamal, would later make headlines in international football. Yamal, who is now 16 years old, has been making waves at the European Championships, particularly with his goal against France in the semi-final. This goal also made him the youngest man to score in the tournament’s history.

A long-forgotten photo of Messi and Yamal resurfaced after Yamal’s father posted it on Instagram last week with the text: “The beginning of two legends.”

The photos were taken by Joan Monfort, a freelance photographer for the Associated Press, who explained that the shoot came about after Unicef organized a raffle in the town of Mataró, where Lamine’s family lived.

According to Monfort, Messi, who is known to be introverted and shy, found the assignment to be complicated, as he was suddenly faced with holding a baby in a plastic tub full of water.

Lamine Yamal’s Rising Through the Ranks: Barcelona Journey

Coming up through the ranks of La Masia, Lamine quickly established himself as one of the academy’s top talents.

Despite being younger than most, he was promoted to the Juvenil A team for the 2022-23 season. Xavi, the first team coach, even invited him to train with the senior squad in early September 2022. Although he hadn’t signed a professional contract yet, Lamine caught the eye of the coach with his impressive skills.

Lamine’s big moment arrived on 29th April 2023 when he made his debut for the first team, replacing Gavi in a match against Real Betis. At just 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old, he became the fifth youngest player in La Liga history.

He also became the youngest player to feature for Barcelona’s first team since 1922. His first taste of success came on 14th May 2023 when he won the La Liga title with Barça. Despite this achievement, he missed the celebration as he was away on international duty with Spain.

Why Lamine Yamal is NOT on FC 24

Yamal is missing from the game because he is only 16 years old. EA Sports has a rule that players under 17 cannot be featured in the game.

As a result, he is not available in EA FC 24’s career mode or online gaming choices, similar to other young talents who have faced the same situation in the past.

2023-24: Breaking into the first team

Lamine earned his first start for Barcelona on 20th August 2023 in a match against Cádiz. His performance earned him a standing ovation from the opposition fans when he was substituted in the final minutes.

In his next start, he was named man of the match after helping set up two goals in a thrilling victory over Villarreal.

His impressive displays led to him being named the U23 Player of the Month for August. On 19th September, he made his Champions League debut in a resounding 5-0 win over Antwerp. Lamine’s commitment to the club was evident when he extended his contract until 2026 with a staggering buyout clause of €1 billion on 2nd October. Just two days later, he continued to shine.

Lamine Yamal had a remarkable start to his international career, representing Spain at the youth level before making his senior debut at just 16 years old. His impressive performances in the Euro 2024 qualifiers and the tournament itself showcased his talent and potential on the big stage.

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Achievements

Barcelona

• Champions of La Liga: 2022–23

Accolades

• Recognized as La Liga U23 Player of the Month in August 2023
• Awarded La Liga U23 Player of the Season for 2023–24
• Recipient of Tuttosport’s The Youngest Award in 2023
• Honored with Globe Soccer Awards – Emerging Player in 2024
• Included in IFFHS Men’s Youth (U20) UEFA Team for 2023
• Topped as UEFA European Under-17 Championship Top Scorer in 2023
• Named in UEFA European Under-17 Championship Team of the Tournament for 2023
• Achieved La Liga Goal of the Month in March 2024

Net worth :

• Yamal is already making a substantial income. Despite not being able to sign a professional contract until he turned 16, he has committed his future to Barcelona and is reportedly earning between €60,000 and €80,000 per month.
• Not a bad way to celebrate turning 16! And if his performances continue to impress, his salary is likely to increase even more.