Doha – In a recent television interview, the grandmother of rising football star Lamine Yamal clarified her grandson’s national allegiance, stating unequivocally that the 17-year-old phenom “was born and studied” in Spain and is “not from Morocco.”
Her comments to Antenna 3 channel come amidst ongoing debate regarding Yamal’s decision to represent Spain internationally.
“He was born here, he studied here, this boy is not from Morocco, do you understand me?” Yamal’s grandmother asserted. “My son (Mounir Nasraoui) did not force him to do anything. He has played with Morocco, he has played with France, he has played with Spain… wherever he wanted.”
The grandmother’s forthright remarks shed light on a contentious issue that has seen Yamal’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, targeted with threats. This includes a recent stabbing in a parking lot in Mataró’s Rocafonda neighborhood, from which the family has since relocated.
Speaking about her son’s condition, Yamal’s mother revealed, “Now with this thing with Mounir I can’t even eat. I have my stomach closed from the shock and fright.”
Residents of Rocafonda acknowledged that Yamal, who is shining FC Barcelona in the early stages of the LaLiga season, occasionally visits the area inconspicuously.
“The boy, when he comes, he does it with a hood because I have seen him,” one neighbor recounted. “He comes with a sweatshirt and a hood on. One day I told him, ‘You’re silly, take off your hood, you’re the joy of the neighborhood.’”
However, locals also attested to the controversy sparked among Moroccans by Yamal’s decision to represent Spain. “It was his own countrymen because they were saying that there was a betrayal for Morocco because the boy was not going to play with them,” another resident explained.
As the prodigious winger continues to impress for both club and country, questions persist about his workload at such a tender age.
Yet Barcelona manager Hansi Flick and Spain coach Luis de la Fuente are united in their belief that, at 17, Yamal is ready to handle a maximum number of matches.
While Yamal’s international future may be settled, the repercussions of his choice continue to reverberate through his family and community. Yet, his allegiance to Spain makes his grandmother proud. “I love Lamine very much,” she concluded.
Read also: Moroccan Lamine Yamal Becomes Youngest Scorer in Euro History
