Rocafonda, a neighborhood that beats soccer
The neighborhood of Rocafonda, in Mataró, is the place where Lamine Yamal ‘s first moves were conceived. Its streets breathe soccer, with children improvising matches on cement courts. There coexist shirts of Real Madrid, Morocco or the Argentine national team, but the figure of Lamine Yamal has given its own identity to this corner of the city. His celebration with the number 304, in reference to the zip code of the neighborhood, is a constant wink to those roots that he does not forget.
Rocafonda is a humble neighborhood, with a strong migrant character and a community that seeks to move forward. The case of Lamine Yamal has become a symbol of hope, showing that stories capable of changing destinies also emerge from a difficult environment.
A family marked by grandmother Fatima
At the origin of this trajectory appears Fatima, the paternal grandmother, a woman who left Tangier more than three decades ago to start a new life in Catalonia. With effort, she regularized her situation, worked in a residence and managed to bring her sons and daughters to Spain. Today, now retired, she is considered the great pillar of the family, the root of a lineage that found stability in Mataró.
Life in that apartment shared by parents, grandmother and uncles was far from comfortable. Up to nine people lived together on the second floor. However, the family union became a fortress, always united by Lamine’s soccer, which filled each member with enthusiasm.
Parental influence
The father, Mounir Nasraoui, arrived in Barcelona as a child. His initial sympathies were closer to Real Madrid than Barça, but he soon focused on supporting his son’s talent. His character, strong in the past, found balance with the passage of time and the pride of watching Lamine grow up in La Masia.
The mother, Sheila Ebana, born in Equatorial Guinea, played a decisive role in the first steps of the young footballer. Working in catering, she managed to move to Granollers, where she enrolled her son at CF La Torreta. There Lamine enjoyed the ball and began to show precocious talent. Sheila always accompanied him, picking him up from training and taking him to snack on churros in the center of Granollers, a simple routine that strengthened the bond between mother and son.
The discovery at La Torreta
CF La Torreta was Lamine Yamal ‘s first soccer home. Between 2009 and 2014, there he was forged as a player, under the watchful eye of coaches who knew how to sense his potential. Espanyol tried to sign him, there were even proposals that reached his family, but in 2014 Barcelona went ahead. The scout Isidre Gil alerted the azulgrana club and the youngster passed the tests. Since then, his life has been definitively linked to Barça.
The president and coaches of La Torreta still remember his self-confidence and the ease with which he was able to decide games. The talent, coupled with the competitive nature he acquired playing in the street against much older opponents, molded a unique player.
La Masia and the leap to the elite
Barça decided that Lamine Yamal should join the Masia after finishing primary school at the Escola Pereanton in Granollers. It was a key step: in addition to growing as a footballer, he had to live in an environment that demanded maturity and responsibility. There he shared experiences with other youngsters who also dreamed of making it to the first team, but few with such a dazzling projection.
His international career also had some intense moments. Morocco tried to lure him into their ranks, but Lamine chose the Spanish national team. That decision was accompanied by pride and also some controversy among those closest to him, but the player stood firm. Today he is one of the great references of La Roja.
The weight of a name with history
Lamine Yamal ‘s name holds a unique story. In Arabic it means “honest” and “beauty,” but his choice was also a gesture of gratitude. His parents, who were struggling financially, received help from two people named Lamine Yamal. As a promise, they decided that if they ever had a son, he would bear those names. Soccer has turned that gesture into a symbol known around the world.
A family that lives in the present with pride
Although his father and several uncles once sympathized with Real Madrid, today they have all surrendered to Lamine Yamal ‘s career with Barça. The family bakery in Mataró displays a mural with his image and flies the flags of Spain, Morocco and Equatorial Guinea, in homage to his mixed roots.
Grandmother Fatima, now retired, enjoys the games with emotion, both in Barcelona and in Morocco. She represents the origin of everything: the woman who crossed the strait at the age of 40 and built a solid foundation for her children and grandchildren to have a better future.
From Rocafonda to the Golden Ball
In just a few years, Lamine Yamal has gone from playing in the streets of Mataró to being a candidate for the Ballon d’Or at just 17 years of age. After winning the European Championship with Spain, he has started the league at a spectacular level. What seemed a distant dream has become a reality that fills his neighborhood, his family and an entire country with pride.
Lamine Yamal’ s story shows that great talents are born from simple environments, where passion, sacrifice and family togetherness can propel a youngster to the top of world soccer.
