Lamine Yamal has had some notable new additions at the World Cup, and fans will have found the latest familiar.
The Spain winger became the second-youngest player to score an opening goal at the tournament after Pele in a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia.
The 18-year-old didn’t start the opening draw against Cape Verde and admitted after his Saudi heroics that he wasn’t giving it his all on an injury comeback.
Yet even not at the best, he’s well aware of the size of the moment, and how he got there.
Pre-match he was seen arriving with a large diamond necklace that featured two overlapping hands.
Keen Lamine fans would’ve noticed that they mirror one of his goal celebrations where he crosses both hands over his chest, and with one he makes a 3 and a 0 and with the other he shows a 4.
That represents the 304 postal code of the Rocafonda neighbourhood where he’s from, one of the poorest areas in Barcelona.
But for those thinking the jewellery is a show of wealth, Spanish journalist Laura Martínez explained that the necklaces are a gift from another artist from the area,
“Lamine started wearing these chains when he turned 18,” she said.
“A Dominican singer gave him a gold and diamond necklace made by a prestigious jeweller with the initials LM.
“Today’s necklace is one of them. It looks very similar to that same necklace that the Dominican singer already gave him, but much bigger and valued at 400,000 euros.”
Lamine Yamal’s childhood
Lamine reflected on his early days in Rocafonda ahead of the tournament.
“What my mother and father have done, I couldn’t do for anyone other than my own child,” he said.
“I’ve come to understand that only parents can make that kind of effort.
“For starters, if you think about it, if you don’t have money, it’s very difficult to let your child play football. If you don’t have money, it’s very difficult to give them a present for Three Kings’ Day.
“When you don’t have money, it’s very difficult to do many things. And my parents managed to do all of that.
“I played football. I received presents for Three Kings’ Day. It’s something I can never repay them for.”
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