Forward Al‑Tamari Headlines Jordan’s First World Cup Squad

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may be playing in their record sixth World Cup in 2026, but the tournament might be remembered as Lamine Yamal's debut. The 18-year-old Spanish footballer's ascent from a concrete square in Mataro to the world's biggest stages has been nothing short of dazzling.

His uncle, Abdul Nasraoui, once kept a replica World Cup trophy in his bakery, telling locals it was destined for his nephew. This foresight proved accurate as Yamal's talent was recognized early. Barcelona's then youth football chief, Jordi Roura, alerted by a scout, along with colleague Aureli Altimira, quickly moved to sign Yamal after witnessing his performance in a trial match.

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We were there with Aureli and at the beginning we saw him and he looked a bit odd, kind of scrawny, he moved a bit strangely, and we said, 'hmm let's see...'. Then once they start playing, it's difficult, right? Because imagine 20 kids of seven, eight years old, all chasing the ball. Even so, Lamine would sometimes do something where you'd go, 'Damn!'. Instead of just running after the ball, sometimes he would find space, wait, look for his left foot, execute really quickly.

Roura recalled Yamal's early days, noting his unusual appearance but undeniable skill. "Even so, Lamine would sometimes do something where you'd go, 'Damn!'... Instead of just running after the ball, sometimes he would find space, wait, look for his left foot, execute really quickly," Roura told AFP. Roura emphasized Yamal's innate dribbling ability, stating, "Dribbling might be the most innate technical action, right? It's hard to train a dribbler. He had that. He would feint, do things which made you say 'wow'."

Negotiations with Yamal's parents, Mounir Nasraoui from Morocco and Sheila Ebana from Equatorial Guinea, were swift. Despite a shy childhood, Yamal's passion for football was evident. He maintains a strong connection to his roots in Rocafonda, a neighborhood in Mataro known for its challenges but now famous as his birthplace. His goal celebration, forming the numbers '304' with his hands, represents the last digits of the neighborhood's postcode, a constant reminder of where he comes from.

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Dribbling might be the most innate technical action, right? It's hard to train a dribbler. He had that. He would feint, do things which made you say 'wow'. We thought this kid had something special, even if he looked a bit slight, and decided to sign him.