Rabat – Barcelona’s rising star Lamine Yamal recently spoke about his visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, describing it as a deeply calming experience.
The 18-year-old was in the United Arab Emirates for the 2025 Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, where he won the Best Forward award.
On his YouTube channel, Yamal shared details of the visit: “The next day we went to the mosque and spent the day there. Honestly, the place gives a lot of peace. Whatever your religion.”
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He added: “If you go to the mosque, you will feel peace, and for us as Muslims it gives even greater peace. I really enjoyed it, and it was a quiet moment during the trip with my family and friends.”
His words, shared in early January 2026, quickly spread across social media and sports outlets, offering a rare glimpse into how the teenager finds balance away from the pitch.
Born in Mataró, Spain, in 2007 to a Moroccan father and an Equatoguinean mother, Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana grew up in Catalonia.
He joined Barcelona’s La Masia academy at seven years-old and rose through the ranks with remarkable speed.
Yamal’s journey is not only about football. Growing up in a working-class neighborhood, he embraced his Muslim faith alongside his Spanish identity. Cameras often capture him making a short dua before matches.
During Ramadan, he fasts when possible, with Barcelona offering support. He has prayed with Muslim teammates and visited mosques during international trips, moments that show how faith gives him stability amid fame.
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, completed in 2007, is one of the largest in the world, able to host more than 40,000 worshippers. Its white marble domes, minarets, and vast courtyards create an atmosphere of calm.
Open to non-Muslims, it has become a symbol of interfaith openness, and visitorsoften describe the same serenity Yamal spoke of.
Fans welcomed Yamal’s honesty, seeing it as a sign of humility from a young player. His words put him in the same line as Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi, who also show their faith openly while playing at the top level.
