- Lionel Messi literally bathed him. No, seriously. Back in 2007, a 20-year-old Messi participated in a UNICEF charity photoshoot and happened to be paired with a six-month-old Lamine Yamal for a bathtub photo shoot. Fast forward 19 years and the two are set to face each other in the World Cup Final. FIFA scriptwriters, take a bow.
-
His name is actually a thank you note. Lamine’s father named him after two men named Lamine and Yamal who helped support the family financially during difficult times before he was born. Instead of naming him after a soccer legend, they honored two people who simply showed up when it mattered most.
-
Vanilla is his signature scent. For reasons known only to him, Lamine is absolutely obsessed with vanilla and reportedly uses vanilla-scented soaps, lotions, perfumes, and candles as part of his daily routine.
-
The king of pranks also happens to be one of the best players in the world. Barcelona teammates have described Yamal as the locker room prankster, constantly hiding things, messing with teammates, and keeping training light. Imagine getting your water bottle stolen by the future Ballon d’Or winner.
- He carries three countries onto the pitch with him. Yamal proudly wears symbols representing Spain, Morocco, and Equatorial Guinea on his boots to honor every part of his heritage. His father is Moroccan, his mother is from Equatorial Guinea, and he represents Spain internationally.