Who's who in Lamine Yamal's entourage

BarcelonaTurning 18 means, according to pre-established social canons, "entering adulthood", even if that age is de facto, still a stage of adolescence. This is explained in the ARA by Marcela Herrera, professor of performance psychology at UVic and member of the Catalan Association of Sports Psychology. Despite the maturity that Lamine Yamal has been able to display in some aspects, the psychologist consulted affirms that this new "freedom" that coming of age will grant him is "a variable to take into account." "In the locker room, he has an ecosystem that allows him to develop his personality, which sets limits and accepts certain attitudes. Outside, his closest environment is a testament to the player's adjustment to the adult world. He must be supported so that he takes responsibility for the results of his decisions and actions and becomes aware of what this entails," he concludes. Lamine Yamal has become the master and lord of his life, but who is who in his immediate surroundings?

His mother, Sheila Ebana

She is a key figure in Lamine Yamal's universe. When she separated from Mounir, the footballer's father, with whom she maintains a cordial relationship—both appeared in photographs together during the presentation ceremony of the Barça star's number 10 jersey—she left Mataró for Granollers. Sheila Ebana, originally from Equatorial Guinea, worked in a fast-food establishment before Barça signed her son at the age of seven. In Granollers, Lamine Yamal earned his first federation contract. It was at CF La Torreta, the club from a neighborhood of approximately 2,000 inhabitants, which belongs to the Roca del Vallès region. The daughter of the club's former coordinator, Inocente Díez, worked with Sheila at McDonald's and they helped the family financially to register him.

In Granollers, Lamine Yamal attended primary school at Pereanton School. From Granollers, he moved to La Masia. The change of address was easier to process with an object he never parted with. "My mother gave me a scarf when I was little. I don't have it anymore, because she took it from me because she said I always wore it! It was a scarf that had all the smells stuck to it: my mother's, my father's, my dog's... I slept in it, I wore it to school, to a..." GQ. "Lamine Yamal has his mother, who is a ten," explained Díez in an interview in ARA. Sheila, along with her current partner, has had Keyne, the footballer's younger half-brother.

His father, Mounir Nasraoui

The most unruly figure in his circle. When Lamine Yamal was a child, Mounir held a string of temporary jobs, traveling back and forth between Morocco. He's also gotten into some trouble. "He gets a bit nervous easily," explain some residents of Rocafonda, comparing him to the calm demeanor of Abdul, his brother and Lamine Yamal's uncle, who used to run a bakery in Rocafonda and now has a bar-restaurant in the same neighborhood. Mounir is a very close figure to his son: in the dining room of his apartment in the upper part of Barcelona he has a mural with their faces that he doesn't hesitate to share on social media.

After Lamine Yamal's controversial 18th birthday party, his father defended him in statements to Europa Press: "Sports-wise and as a human being, he's an example for many children. And nothing more. My son hasn't done anything wrong. If not, as a father, I'd be the first to scold him, but the thing is, he hasn't done anything. If he has done anything wrong, there are police stations. Let them go to the police stations and report him. But since he hasn't done anything, nothing happens."

His grandmother, Fatima

Lamine Yamal explained that the official celebration of his contract renewal with Barça was held later so he could count on his grandmother's presence: "She was in Morocco, and without her, she couldn't have done anything so special for me." This is a key part of the footballer's childhood: he spent many weekends at her house. He still lives in Rocafonda, but often returns to Kasr al-Kabir, a city in northern Morocco. Fátima, now 71 years old (he knows she was born in 1954, but not the date), had a difficult childhood. Her mother died when she was six months old, and she was raised by her father, her maternal grandfather, and her uncle's wife. Her father was a soldier in Spain and had several wives. When he left, Fátima had to live with them and suffered. At the age of twelve, she was forced to marry, but the marriage only lasted five days.

She was never able to study because she had to take care of her brother and nephews. She later remarried, but her husband died young. In Morocco, she worked herding goats, massaging women in a sauna, in a factory, and selling vegetables. In Catalonia, she began cleaning houses without papers and later worked, legally, in nursing homes, where she cared for people and cooked. She has six children, including Abdul and Mounir, Lamine Yamal's father. She also has 24 grandchildren. Her influence has been decisive in Lamine Yamal observing Ramadan.

His two faithful squires

His cousin Mohamed Abde and his childhood best friend, Souhaib, accompany Lamine Yamal practically everywhere. The three shared childhood in the Rocafonda neighborhood and are regular companions at the footballer's home in Sant Joan Despí. Lamine Yamal left La Masia approximately a year ago, while still a minor, which limited the control that Barça, as a club, could have over its star. His upbringing at La Masia is also key to understanding the footballer he is today.

His cousin, Lamine Yamal's regular chauffeur and with whom he has maintained a close relationship since they were children, stated in an interview with Culemanía that one of the "best decisions" the family had made was "taking him to La Masia" as a child. Moha and Souhaib have been inseparable from the footballer during his vacation this summer: Sicily, Brazil, Ibiza, Marbella, Seville, and finally, Shanghai for a publicity stunt.

His representative, super agent Jorge Mendes

Just as he was beginning to emerge, Jorge Mendes took over Lamine Yamal, who until then had been represented by Iván de la Peña. Today, nearly twenty advisors oversee the day-to-day life of a footballer who now earns €15 million net per season with his new contract. He's also an advertising icon: Adidas, Beats, Powerade, Oppo, Konami, and Unicef are all giants that have associated themselves with his image. He has two registered companies: LY Sports Management and LY 304 FC, created between 2023 and 2024 to manage his image rights, sponsorship contracts, and public relations.

The agreements are handled by The Underdogs, a marketing firm that is a subsidiary of Gestifute, Mendes's main company. It was founded by Bernardo San Torcuato, who primarily handles the footballer's communications and promotional matters, while his brother Santiago San Torcuato and Santiago Liotta, both lawyers, handle legal matters and provide advice. Alejandro Liotta, also a lawyer, is the administrator of both companies, registered to manage and advise on all these matters for the now-adult footballer.