Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana
Right now he’s everywhere because of the World Cup 2026 final.
Who he is
Full name: Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana
Born: July 13, 2007 in Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain — he just turned 19 during the World Cup
Team: FC Barcelona (joined at 7 from CF La Torreta) and Spain. Right winger, left-footed, now wears No.10
Profile: 1.83m, Spain international, contract at Barca until 2031, Adidas athlete
He broke through in 2023 as the youngest to debut, start, and score for Barca in La Liga, won Euro 2024 with Spain, and in 2025/26 had 16 goals, 11 assists in La Liga.
Why “Yamal for Lamin” is trending now
Spain just beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Yamal started.
That made him the first teenager in history to play in both a UEFA Euro final and a FIFA World Cup final.
The narrative all week was the torch-passing:
Lionel Messi called him “one of the BEST IN THE WORLD” and “truly amazing” before the final
Barca president Joan Laporta said “Messi is the past and the present. Lamine is the present and the future”
LaLiga itself posted split-screen compilations of Yamal vs young Messi cutting in from the right wing and scoring identical goals
He was also spotted in New York before the final getting halal cart food — clip went viral with fans shouting “let’s get this Messi money on Sunday” — and walked out an hour before kickoff in a navy tracksuit as photographers swarmed.
The name story everyone is sharing
It’s not first name + last name. Both Lamine and Yamal are his given first names.
Before he was born, his parents — father from Morocco, mother from Equatorial Guinea — were struggling to pay rent in Mataró. Two friends named Lamine and Yamal helped them, so they promised to name their son after both. Nasraoui is his father’s surname, Ebana his mother’s. So the shirt says his tribute.
On social he’s also known for praying after games and kissing the turf, which Moroccan fans have been posting a lot this month.