Lamine Yamal Credits Grandmother Fatima for His Success and Family’s Better Future
ISLAMABAD: Spain and FC Barcelona star Lamine Yamal says his greatest achievement is not fame or football success, but being able to provide a better life for his family, crediting his grandmother, Fatima, for making it all possible.
In a recent interview, the 17-year-old football sensation said his grandmother left Morocco alone in search of a better future for the family. After traveling through several cities, she eventually settled in Mataró, Catalonia, where she worked tirelessly to earn enough money to bring her children to Spain.
Yamal said his father had remained in Morocco with his sister during childhood, but his grandmother’s hard work eventually enabled them to reunite in Spain. He added that his mother had also migrated to Spain from Equatorial Guinea at a young age, and his parents later met in Barcelona while facing years of financial hardship.
Recalling his childhood, Yamal said his family lived in a residential center that provided housing and shared meals for low-income families. At one point, he said, a family friend offered them a single room to live in. Despite the difficulties, he said they never lost hope.
The Barcelona forward also spoke about his parents’ separation, explaining that he moved to another city with his mother while his father stayed with his own mother. He said those experiences taught him valuable life lessons and strengthened his determination to succeed.
Yamal said his greatest joy today is seeing his mother living the life she once dreamed of, his father enjoying stability, his grandmother comfortably settled in her own home, and his younger brother experiencing the carefree childhood that he himself never had.
The teenage star also said he has never forgotten his roots in Rocafonda. His trademark goal celebration represents the postal code of his hometown, symbolizing his identity, upbringing, and the struggles that shaped his journey.
According to reports, after achieving success, Yamal bought a home for his grandmother, Fatima, in Rocafonda, while his father now lives in a better residential area of Barcelona.
