Lamine Yamal is world football’s new poster boy. His giant image looks down from a billboard in New York’s Times Square. It is remarkable that, at just 18, Yamal commands such a presence in a place like Times Square. The Spanish star is no longer confined to Europe; rather, he has taken himself to a unique height in world football. Media around the world have identified him as a wonder-boy, and at this moment he is the uncrowned, number-one emperor of world football. Many clearly see in him the shadow of another Messi.
Yamal wears Barcelona’s traditional No. 10 jersey. He created a sensation by winning Euro 2024 with Spain, and has scored 53 goals at club and international level. His career so far is simply dazzling.
He grew up amid family turmoil. His parents separated when he was just three. Yamal’s grandmother had come from Morocco and lived here and there as an undocumented immigrant before finally settling in the Spanish city of Mataro. His mother came from Equatorial Guinea. With no place of their own, they lived almost like nomads, and poverty was a constant companion. Looking back now, it seems a thrilling real-life story, one that outdoes even the movies. Amid the financial hardship, two kind-hearted people of Mataro extended a helping hand.
Yamal is currently struggling with an injury, but the coach is determined to field him. Spain drew with Cape Verde, with Yamal coming on for 20 minutes, and he played a little longer against Saudi Arabia, where he got on the scoresheet. After scoring, he made a ‘304’ sign with his fingers. There is a story behind it: it is the postal code of the Rocafonda area, and through it he seeks to highlight to the world the identity of marginalised working-class people.
He is now near the peak of fame, and a number of sensational controversies have also attached themselves to his life. Yet Yamal’s main inspiration is not the Ballon d’Or or a lavish life of riches; he wants to change his family’s fortunes. Yamal’s mother used to work at a McDonald’s, doing backbreaking work. After becoming a star, Yamal changed her life and bought her a luxurious house.
His uncle, who worked at a bakery, has also seen his life change. The interesting thing is that Yamal still remembers Morocco and Equatorial Guinea; the flags of the two countries are drawn on his boots. By this he wants to show that, however foggy the past may be, he does not wish to forget it.
On one side is the incredible pressure of maintaining his form on the pitch; on the other, the various legal controversies in his life, with the media’s gaze always upon him. Barcelona’s head coach, Hansi Flick, has said Yamal’s life is full of incredible drama, and that it will take not just talent but hard work to sustain it all. Alongside his extraordinary dribbling, his stand against racism is also clear. Real Madrid’s former star defender Michel Salgado has praised Yamal, saying a new Messi is being seen. The popular sports paper Marca has said the young star has chosen the right path in his career. After Spain’s 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia, it is being said that Spain reaching the final is no longer a far-fetched fantasy but a real possibility. At the World Cup, many are now doing the maths around Lamine Yamal and asking: is this the wonder-boy who will lift this World Cup?
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report