From McDonald's to the Ballon d’Or contender: Lamine Yamal’s rise and the mother who built a legend
Lamine Yamal is one of football’s brightest young stars. Before the European Championship, the Barcelona academy product wasn’t widely known. Today he is considered one of Europe’s most promising midfielders, finishing second in the Ballon d’Or voting. This ascent has changed not only his life but his family’s life as well; where his parents once worked long hours to make ends meet, they can now enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle.
In This Article:
A four-year-old start: Sheyla Ebana signs Lamine up at Torreta and sets his path
Sheyla Ebana, Lamine’s mother, registered her son at the Torreta sports school when he was four, planting the seed of his football dream. After training, she would take him to a nearby snack bar to share churros with tea. Sheyla raised him alone after his father left when Lamine was very young. To support the family, she started working at McDonald’s. When Lamine began playing football, they moved to a different district. Because of McDonald’s wide network, she didn’t have to seek a new job—she asked for a transfer from the Mataro municipality to Granollers, and they accommodated her.
A family forged by sacrifice: Parents as anchors
Lamine always saw his parents as role models. He says, “People always say I have something from my mother and something from my father. On the pitch I’m more like my father; off the pitch more like my mother. They are the people I grew up with, who taught me everything. They fought for me.” His father, Munir, has become a close friend, and they now try to see each other daily—kicking a ball in the yard, playing PlayStation, and talking about life.
Rising star, rising wealth: The money and the contract at 18
Yamal’s Barcelona salary is about €8 million a year in net terms, with bonuses bringing total earnings to €15–20 million. In May, the club extended his contract through 2031. He is only 18 years old. He has already bought homes for his father and grandmother, and his younger brother Kai (born in 2022) will now live in a spacious country house. In September he revealed in the Resonancia de Corazón podcast that he fulfilled his mother’s dream by buying her a country house to thank her for her love and support.
A Christmas gala and a new life: The lavish plans and a mother’s triumph
The September milestone is followed by a publicly planned celebration. On November 7, a Christmas gala is set to take place at the Nobu hotel in central London to honor Sheyla’s love and support. The event is for adults only and not open to all. Basic tickets cost €150 and include a three-course dinner and a half-hour champagne reception; mid-tier tickets add a bottle of wine; premium service offers welcome champagne, an open bar until 23:00, and a photo opportunity with Sheyla Yamal. The price for premium access is €800. The 18-year-old Barça midfielder will not attend the gala. This story shows how a mother who once worked at McDonald’s can host such a high-end event and how a son, in turn, honors her by creating a life of comfort for her.
