The Story of Lamine Yamal, Her Father's Fiancée, and Her Breakup with Her Boyfriend

Lamine Yamal saved Barcelona from defeat against Club Brugge in the Champions League match in Brugge, Belgium, on Thursday (6/11/2025) early morning WIB. Yamal contributed to two goals that equalized the score, resulting in a final score of 3-3.

The 18-year-old player scored an equalizing goal to make it 2-2 in the 61st minute. However, just two minutes later, Barca fell behind again at 2-3 after Carlos Forbs found the net against Wojciech Szczesny.

Barca's efforts to equalize were rewarded in the 77th minute. Yamal delivered a low pass into the penalty area. Christos Tzolis, attempting to clear it, inadvertently directed the ball into his own net.

Yamal continues to draw attention due to his brilliant performances on the field. His talent and play have garnered interest since he made his debut with the senior team of Barca.

The player, born on July 13, 2007, became the youngest debutant for Barcelona at the age of 15 years and 290 days, when he appeared against Real Betis in La Liga on April 29, 2023. This player, a product of Barca's academy, La Masia, came on as a substitute for Gavi in the 83rd minute of the match, which ended 4-0 in favor of Barca.

The player, born in Esplugues de Llobregat, part of the Barcelona metropolitan area, also became the youngest player and goal scorer for Spain when "La Roja" defeated Georgia 7-1 in the qualification for the 2024 European Championship. Subsequently, he played a significant role as La Roja became the champion of the 2024 European Championship.

Former Barcelona coach Xavi did not hesitate to compare Yamal with Barca legend Lionel Messi. "He is a similar player because he possesses talent (in playing) in the final third of the field, which is hard to find," said Xavi when asked if the two players could be compared, after the match against Betis.

Yamal continues to develop with his talent. He has now become one of the new faces of football following the decline in the prominence of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who are currently enjoying their "retirement" leagues in the United States and Saudi Arabia.

As a new face in football, not only the game on the field but also all of his actions off the field have become a point of interest. His personal life is under scrutiny. In fact, even his close family often features in media coverage.

One instance was when his father, Mounir Nasraoui, who was only 35 years old, announced his engagement. What caught the attention of gossip tabloids in Europe was the age of Yamal's future stepmother, who was only 23 years old, just five years older than Yamal.

"Father of Barcelona's wonder kid, Lamine Yamal, 35 years old, has found love with his fiancée who is only five years older than his son—and younger than the girlfriend that the footballer left just last week," reads the headline in one of the British media outlets.

Yamal's father, who has over a million followers on Instagram, posted the news of his engagement on his account. He seems unconcerned about the scrutiny regarding the age difference.

While his father's romance continues to blossom, Yamal's relationship is the opposite, having recently split from his girlfriend, Argentinian singer Nicki Nicole. Yamal's girlfriend, who is two years older than his father's fiancée, has also drawn media attention. According to Marca, the breakup was not due to infidelity.

All the attention off the field is feared to disrupt Yamal's focus on the field. Behind the maturity of his game on the field, Yamal is essentially still a teenager.

Moreover, in addition to the praise received by Yamal, sharp criticisms have also begun to be directed at the player, both regarding his performance and his conduct off the field.

For example, Yamal played poorly in El Clasico on October 26, 2025. Yamal struggled to develop his game, and Barça lost 2-1 to Real Madrid. This result left Barça five points behind their arch-rivals in the La Liga title race.

Yamal has also come under scrutiny for his comments prior to the match. He mocked Madrid, saying they "steal (and) complain," which provoked the anger of "Los Blancos" supporters and much of the Spanish media.

Various highlights have raised concerns for Hansi Flick, the coach of Barca. "We spoke with him. We were very honest, he with me and I with him, and this is the best way," said Flick at a press conference ahead of the La Liga match against Elche.

"I will always protect and support him. He is a fantastic player, a fantastic man. He is still very young, and we will continue like this," said the coach from Germany.

Yamal has been struggling on the pitch for the past few weeks, primarily due to a groin injury. Although he started in El Clasico, he still appeared to be affected by the problem.

"Of course, there are days when he feels a bit unwell, but now he is really training hard. He is much better in these matters. He is making good progress. So this is what we can say," said Flick.

Flick's concerns are justified. Many talented players fail to reach their highest potential, whether due to personal issues or injury problems. To achieve the status of Messi and Ronaldo, Yamal must be able to set aside all distractions and take care of his body. (AP/AFP)