This is Lamine Yamal's first Ramadan
The footballer, encouraged by his grandmother Fatima and his paternal family, follows the Muslim tradition during this March
BarcelonaLamine Yamal is celebrating his first Ramadan. It is a personal decision by the footballer, who will come of age next July, influenced by the respect he has for his roots and also encouraged by his paternal family. Especially by grandmother Fatima, the mother of his father, Mounir, who is a key figure in understanding Lamine Yamal's childhood in Rocafonda, the humble neighbourhood of Mataró that the young star made known by celebrating his first goals by drawing with his fingers a 304, the last three digits of the postcode. There his uncle Abdul ran the Panadería Arábica. Now, in the neighbourhood, he has a themed bar in honour of his nephew: Bar Familia LY 304. The establishment is presided over by a large television screen flanked by two framed Lamine Yamal shirts, one from Barça and the other from the Spanish national team.
The young pearl likes to return to his neighbourhood from time to time. Going to have a snack at Grandma Fatima's house, who is still in Rocafonda, in a new flat financed by her grandson. Sheila, Lamal's mother, has not lived in Rocafonda for many years, since she separated from Mounir, when Lamine Yamal was still very young. After separating, Sheila, who worked in a fast food chain in Mataró, moved to Granollers. There she continued working in a fast food establishment, where he met the daughter of the coordinator of the La Torreta Football Club.
Lamine Yamal took his first steps as a footballer in this humble sports club. He was there from 2009 to 2014, when he signed for the Barça youth team. Finally, his maternal family moved to Barcelona and Lamine Yamal moved into La Masia. It was an exception that had already been made, for example, with Ilaix Moriba and Alejandro Balde. –in a mixed regime–, who also came from humble backgrounds. They are footballers who, despite not living far from the Catalan capital, their families are advised to move into La Masia to ensure their rest and nutrition.
Lamine Yamal's Ramadan in Rocafonda
Although he could have lived in La Masia for another year, until he was 18, Lamine Yamal has become independent since the beginning of this season. He lives very close to the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, in Sant Joan Despí. Despite living alone, it is not surprising that his cousin Moha – Abdul's eldest son – or his friend Sohaib are often in the flat. Both are also from Rocafonda. Moha, who is in Lisbon accompanying Lamine Yamal, has been his driver for some time and accompanies him everywhere because, as a minor, he does not have a driving licence. A task that Moha does with pleasure, since they maintain a close relationship.
Despite having become independent, Lamine Yamal still eats many meals at La Masia, especially on training days. But with Ramadan, the reality of the Barça pearl changes this March. In Catalonia this year, Ramadan is celebrated from Saturday, February 29th at dawn until March 30th. A moon-watching committee in Saudi Arabia is in charge of determining when the holy month for Muslims begins. Ramadan is based on five daily prayers. They also fast and abstain from drinking, smoking and sexual relations between sunrise and sunset. From seven in the evening and after the fifth prayer, Lamine Yamal dines at his uncle Abdul's house in Rocafonda, accompanied by his family. According to a report by the newspaper The Vanguard Fatima, the footballer's grandmother, is not there because she is on a pilgrimage to Mecca.
To break the fast, it is traditional to eat dates, which are high in calories and contain a lot of natural sugar and water, emulating the tradition of Mohammed. The meal during Ramadan is an act of celebration and togetherness with the family and the people of the community. It is usual to start by eating liquid foods, such as soups and creams, and the tables are filled with typical dishes such as stews, meats, fish, fruit, tea, coffee, soups, salads and sweets. This is what Lamine Yamal does at his uncles' house, although this Wednesday, when he has a match against Benfica (9pm), he is exempt from following Ramadan as he does on other days. As an elite athlete, the competent religious authority allows an exception in these cases. "The days before and after the match are the most important. Control the intake of electrolytes and have them eat a lot," they say at the ARA from the Barça dressing room.
The club's medical services, in collaboration with the head of nutrition for the first team, Sílvia Tremoleda, are closely monitoring Lamine Yamal's Ramadan nutritional status so that it does not affect his performance. He is not the first Muslim Barça player. Among the cases in recent years are Dembélé, Kessié, Ilaxi Moriba and Pjanic.