Latest news with #MounirNasraoui
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
17-year-old superstar Lamine Yamal signs contract extension with Barcelona until 2031
Lamine Yamal has signed a contract extension with FC Barcelona, the club announced Tuesday, in a deal which keeps the 17-year-old superstar with the Blaugrana until the end of the 2030-31 season. News of the contract extension comes after Yamal exclusively told CNN Sports' Amanda Davies at the Globe Soccer Awards in December 2024 that 'Barça is the club of my life,' adding: 'I want to play in the Spanish league. I want to play for Barça, and yes, I will renew my contract. I will.' Details of the deal – which was signed at the club's offices in front of president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco – were not provided by Barça, but multiple reports from Spanish media say that the precocious teenager is set to become one of the highest earners in the squad with a potential annual salary of roughly 19 million euros (about $21.5 million) after taxes. Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, seemed to hint at those figures in his Instagram Stories, linking to a post celebrating his son's contract extension with the number '19.3' written above it. CNN Sports has reached out to Barcelona for comment on Nasraoui's Instagram post and the details of the contract extension. Yamal first burst onto the scene last season in Spain's La Liga, where he broke multiple records, but stormed into the spotlight at last year's European Championships, setting numerous new landmarks on the way to helping lead La Roja to its fourth Euros victory. Yamal then received further global recognition this season, in particular for his masterful performance against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League semifinals, which – despite his play that had people saying he was the best player in the world – saw Barça get eliminated in an all-time classic knockout tie. In a reminder of how young Yamal is right now and a potential nightmare for opponents, the new deal is set to keep one of soccer's best young players at the Catalan club until he turns 23 years old, when many players begin entering their prime. After winning a domestic double this season with the Blaugrana, the future seems bright for both the Catalan giant and Yamal, but as he told CNN's Davies in December, he isn't getting too ahead of himself. 'It's true that things have happened very quickly,' Yamal said. 'I don't think this is normal for a teenager. I think it's nice being the first teenager to be doing these things. 'In the end, I only think of the future. I only think of the good things that happen and that's it. As my mother says, 'Always enjoy the moment because everything goes by so quickly.''
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
FC Barcelona's 17-year-old star Lamine Yamal credits grandmother for his success
Lamine Yamal, Barcelona and Spain's 17-year-old football sensation, was about to sign a new contract with his club when he realised his grandmother wasn't there and said they couldn't go ahead if she wasn't in the photo along with his agent, the FC Barcelona president and the rest of his family. Lamine Yamal, who has won hearts and minds not just with his talent on the pitch but for his humility, credits Fatima, his paternal grandmother, with keeping his feet on the ground after his parents separated when he was three years old. The contract, which will keep Lamine Yamal at Barcelona until 2031, when he will still be only 24, is in fact a pre-contract as the player is still a minor. He will officially sign when he turns 18 in July, with Fatima in attendance. The contract has a buyout clause of €1bn (£840m) Fatima left Morocco in 1990 and arrived in Barcelona accompanied by her five children, among them Lamine Yamal's father Mounir Nasraoui. She played a key role in Lamine Yamal's upbringing after his mother, Sheila Ebana, from Equatorial Guinea, and Nasraoui separated. When Lamine Yamal offered to buy Fatima a house she refused, saying she preferred to stay where she was in Rocafonda, the working-class neighbourhood in Mataró, a coastal town north of Barcelona. True to his origins, Lamine Yamal celebrates his goals with his hands forming the numbers 304, the Rocafonda postal code. Already rated by many pundits as the best player in the world, Lamine signed for Barcelona in 2014 when he was six years old and was raised in La Masia, the club's famous school-cum-football academy. He made his first-team debut in 2023. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion At the Uefa European Championship last year he became the youngest player to appear in the competition, scoring the goal of the tournament against France in the semi-finals. During the competition, which was held in Germany, Spain's use of their young star was constrained by local labour laws that forbid anyone under 18 to work after 8pm. Last year Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to be nominated for the coveted Ballon d'Or, winning the Kopa Trophy for best young player. At 16 he broke the record held by Barcelona teammate Gavi as Spain's youngest goalscorer.
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
17-year-old superstar Lamine Yamal signs contract extension with Barcelona until 2031
Lamine Yamal has signed a contract extension with FC Barcelona, the club announced Tuesday, in a deal which keeps the 17-year-old superstar with the Blaugrana until the end of the 2030-31 season. News of the contract extension comes after Yamal exclusively told CNN Sports' Amanda Davies at the Globe Soccer Awards in December 2024 that 'Barça is the club of my life,' adding: 'I want to play in the Spanish league. I want to play for Barça, and yes, I will renew my contract. I will.' Details of the deal – which was signed at the club's offices in front of president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco – were not provided by Barça, but multiple reports from Spanish media say that the precocious teenager is set to become one of the highest earners in the squad with a potential annual salary of roughly 19 million euros (about $21.5 million) after taxes. Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, seemed to hint at those figures in his Instagram Stories, linking to a post celebrating his son's contract extension with the number '19.3' written above it. CNN Sports has reached out to Barcelona for comment on Nasraoui's Instagram post and the details of the contract extension. Yamal first burst onto the scene last season in Spain's La Liga, where he broke multiple records, but stormed into the spotlight at last year's European Championships, setting numerous new landmarks on the way to helping lead La Roja to its fourth Euros victory. Yamal then received further global recognition this season, in particular for his masterful performance against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League semifinals, which – despite his play that had people saying he was the best player in the world – saw Barça get eliminated in an all-time classic knockout tie. In a reminder of how young Yamal is right now and a potential nightmare for opponents, the new deal is set to keep one of soccer's best young players at the Catalan club until he turns 23 years old, when many players begin entering their prime. After winning a domestic double this season with the Blaugrana, the future seems bright for both the Catalan giant and Yamal, but as he told CNN's Davies in December, he isn't getting too ahead of himself. 'It's true that things have happened very quickly,' Yamal said. 'I don't think this is normal for a teenager. I think it's nice being the first teenager to be doing these things. 'In the end, I only think of the future. I only think of the good things that happen and that's it. As my mother says, 'Always enjoy the moment because everything goes by so quickly.''
CNN
3 days ago
- Business
- CNN
17-year-old superstar Lamine Yamal signs contract extension with Barcelona until 2031
Lamine Yamal has signed a contract extension with FC Barcelona, the club announced Tuesday, in a deal which keeps the 17-year-old superstar with the Blaugrana until the end of the 2030-31 season. News of the contract extension comes after Yamal exclusively told CNN Sports' Amanda Davies at the Globe Soccer Awards in December 2024 that 'Barça is the club of my life,' adding: 'I want to play in the Spanish league. I want to play for Barça, and yes, I will renew my contract. I will.' Details of the deal – which was signed at the club's offices in front of president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco – were not provided by Barça, but multiple reports from Spanish media say that the precocious teenager is set to become one of the highest earners in the squad with a potential annual salary of roughly 19 million euros (about $21.5 million) after taxes. Yamal's father, Mounir Nasraoui, seemed to hint at those figures in his Instagram Stories, linking to a post celebrating his son's contract extension with the number '19.3' written above it. CNN Sports has reached out to Barcelona for comment on Nasraoui's Instagram post and the details of the contract extension. Yamal first burst onto the scene last season in Spain's La Liga, where he broke multiple records, but stormed into the spotlight at last year's European Championships, setting numerous new landmarks on the way to helping lead La Roja to its fourth Euros victory. Yamal then received further global recognition this season, in particular for his masterful performance against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League semifinals, which – despite his play that had people saying he was the best player in the world – saw Barça get eliminated in an all-time classic knockout tie. In a reminder of how young Yamal is right now and a potential nightmare for opponents, the new deal is set to keep one of soccer's best young players at the Catalan club until he turns 23 years old, when many players begin entering their prime. After winning a domestic double this season with the Blaugrana, the future seems bright for both the Catalan giant and Yamal, but as he told CNN's Davies in December, he isn't getting too ahead of himself. 'It's true that things have happened very quickly,' Yamal said. 'I don't think this is normal for a teenager. I think it's nice being the first teenager to be doing these things. 'In the end, I only think of the future. I only think of the good things that happen and that's it. As my mother says, 'Always enjoy the moment because everything goes by so quickly.''
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Lamine Yamal may have the world at his feet but Barcelona's new Lionel Messi - who idolises Neymar - is still rooted to the hometown that molded him into a Ballon d'Or favourite
The morning after the El Clasico where Barcelona have effectively sealed the LaLiga title and in the El Cordobes 'snack bar' in the heart of Rocafonda, the owner Juan Carlos is buzzing with pride. He speaks proudly about the five-year-old boy who would come with his father in the early hours and dribble with a ball inside this tiny space before getting the train from the city of Mataro to Barcelona. Juan Carlos would often lend money to Mounir Nasraoui to help him and his son get to training at La Masia, Barcelona's famed academy. The boy, who would only want a small glass of orange juice, is still very much a boy at 17. Lamine Yamal is arguably the best player to watch in world football too. Framed on the wall inside El Cordobes is a signed shirt gifted by Yamal and Juan Carlos shows Mail Sport the masses of fan mail sent to him from places like South Korea for Lamine's autograph. Whenever Yamal returns to Rocafonda, mostly to visit his grandmother and family, Juan Carlos will receive a call and he will go up the road to try and fulfil those requests. 'We are proud and honoured. When he plays, I get goosebumps,' he says, pointing to his arms. 'When he scores, the sensation is out of this world,' Juan Carlos adds. Less than a minute up the road is the house of Fatima, Yamal's grandmother and the mother of Mounir, who moved from Morocco to Spain in 1990. Yamal often comes here to see her and because he misses her food. Fatima, who helped to raise Yamal after his parents separated, refuses to leave Rocafonda. The neighbourhood, on the outskirts of Barcelona, was created in the 1960s to house immigrants. Over half of the population is born outside of Catalonia. El Pais describes it as 'forgotten, isolated, and stigmatized' and according to the Institute of National Statistics, almost 50 per cent of the residents are at risk of poverty but for Yamal, these parts are richer than anyone could imagine. His Kings League team is called La Capital FC and last week, he was back here to watch the trials. The reason behind the name? Forget Madrid. For Yamal and his friends, this is their capital. His signature '304' celebration nods to the last three digits of the Rocafonda postcode too. On the street opposite the concrete park where Yamal began to play is Bar Familia LY304, a small restaurant run by his uncle Abdul, who used to own the local bakery. Inside lies the shirt Yamal wore when he scored the goal of Euro 2024 against France. 'For my favourite uncle' it says. Over a traditional Moroccan lunch with lentil soup and fresh fish from the nearby ocean, Abdul beams and shows us pictures of him with Yamal, in the middle of dealing with locals who casually pop in for mint tea - a classic Moroccan staple. Such is the fandom that a group of Barcelona fans from France arrive too and Abdul kindly advises them via Google Translate that waiting outside the training ground is the best place to try and see Yamal. By helping to put Real Madrid to the sword Yamal had effectively won LaLiga before making certain against Espanyol On his WhatsApp, a picture comes through of Yamal exchanging shirts with Thierry Henry before someone sends him a clip of Donald Trump praising Yamal, which turns out to be an AI deepfake. It's all part of the fun. Abdul could pack things up but a couple of the locals who speak English insist that like his mother, he is as humble as they come. The locals gather here to watch Barcelona or more precisely Yamal and there's a small replica World Cup inside too. A couple of years ago that may have seemed fanciful but the way Yamal is going, it is very much a possibility. Earlier this year, Yamal was asked what he missed the most from his previous life and he responded by saying being able to walk in a park or go to Granollers, where his mum, Sheila Ebana, who originates from Equatorial Guinea, lives. The reality is that the boy who told GQ that one of the ten items he couldn't live without was his travel card will probably never be seen on public transport again. From establishing himself as a Barcelona starter to winning Euro 2024 and the Golden Boy award, his stock has exponentially risen. This week, Cole Palmer described him as 'the best player in the world' and on Thursday evening, Yamal broke the deadlock with a stunner as Barcelona beat Espanyol to confirm the La Liga title. The 17-year-old's performances across the Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan, where Inter boss Simone Inzaghi described him 'as a child born every 50 years' have led to him becoming the favourite for the Ballon d'Or. After Barcelona's defeat to Inter, Yamal was devastated. Two chances replayed in his mind - one which hit the post in injury time seconds before Inter levelled and one in extra time when Yann Sommer pulled off the save of the competition to deny him. 'Lamine hates losing football games,' said a Barcelona source. 'But it helped that we had another final coming up straight away with Madrid.' He vowed to fans on Instagram that he would bring the Champions League back to Barcelona, including a quote saved on his camera roll that insisted he would 'rise up like a warrior'. As is common in football, an agency helps to manage his social platforms. In Yamal's case, nothing goes up without his say though - he often comes up with ideas when working with The Underdogs (a consultancy established within Jorge Mendes's agency, Gestifute) and on this occasion, it was his idea and execution. Yamal woke up the next morning to numerous kind messages from Inter players. The defender Alessandro Bastoni wrote: 'Special mention to a terrifyingly good kid - you are a monster!' Hansi Flick, the Barcelona manager, gave his players the day off after travelling back from Milan but Yamal, alongside a handful of others, turned up to train. By Sunday, they were celebrating their fourth Clasico win of the season with Yamal instrumental again. When he equalised with a curling strike, no one at Montjuic was surprised. 'He is fearless. He doesn't believe age should ever limit him because he has always played with older people,' says a source close to Yamal. Minutes before the Clasico started, he was doing bottle flips in the dugout. In a nutshell, it summed up the child within but for Flick, Yamal's status is clear. The 'genius' is already a leader. 'Believe me, he's not a kid,' Flick told Mail Sport after the Clasico. 'It was important after the Inter match that no one forgot what happened but at the same time, they needed to look ahead and that's exactly how Lamine handled it. 'He has the self-confidence and belief in what he can do and he's very clever. He brought us back into the match. At 17 years old, it's really high quality. This is what we want from him,' the German added. Aymeric Laporte, his Spanish team-mate, says that since the Euros, Yamal's physique has changed. 'At the start, his body looked young but now he's a lot stronger because of his work. It's more like the strength and athleticism of a 22-year-old,' Laporte tells Mail Sport. Spain team-mate Aymeric Laporte (back row second left) spoke of how Yamal's body has changed since last summer's triumph Though Spanish law limits long-term contracts for minors, a long-term agreement is in place for Yamal to sign until 2030 when he turns 18 in July. His current deal has a £1bn release clause. Agent Jorge Mendes believes the only thing stopping him from winning the Ballon d'Or is his age, saying that people think he has plenty of time to win. Messi and Ronaldo were both in their early twenties when they first won the prestigious award. Here in Barcelona, the events of the last year are further vindication of the fact they believe they have the next Messi, even if those words aren't dared uttered in public. Back in 2023, when Xavi considered bringing Messi back from PSG, a Barcelona board member warned against it and explained they already had the kid that PSG wanted in Yamal. That summer, weeks after his professional debut at 15, Yamal spent most of his time in Rocafonda and Granollers before going on to break record after record across 2023-24 and making his international debut. Winning Euro 2024 changed his life. 'The joyful thing is that he plays like an inner-city child who wants to compete and win, with a free-spirit and by doing crazy things on a football pitch. He doesn't feel pressure and maybe in five years it will be different but I really hope not,' Laporte says. 'One on one, it's hard to stop him. Against Inter, you saw that even if you put three players on him, he will find a way. As his team-mates, you feel the impact because the opposition are scared and sit back. 'If he doesn't win Ballon d'Or because of the Champions League then he will definitely be in the top three but to even be talking about that at 17 is unbelievable. With the Nations League and World Cup to come, there's a chance to do more special things for Spain too' the 30-year-old adds. Such was the naivety of Yamal that days after winning Euro 2024, he was on an EasyJet flight. It's hard to see that happening again. Yamal was the second-most searched athlete in the UK last year and is now a global figure with deals with brands like Beats and Oppo. Yamal is just like any other teenager until he steps on the pitch, when his otherworldly talent shows that he is a star in his own right That Yamal is even in the discussion to win the Ballon d'Or is mind-boggling at his young age He has received lucrative approaches from betting companies ahead of turning 18 - all of which have been rejected as it goes against his beliefs as a Muslim. Nike provided him with boots from the age of 14 but last year, he switched to Adidas after they used Lionel Messi in their pitch and told Yamal he would be their symbol for the next generation. He is already a symbol with over 60 million followers on Instagram and TikTok. In typically Gen Z fashion, he doesn't use X. During the Sant Jordi (St George's Day) festival in Barcelona last month, Yamal wanted to go and enjoy the celebrations in the city but he had to seek refuge in a hotel as crowds mobbed him. He will occasionally venture into the streets and shops with his face covered up. That was fine during winter but less so in Barcelona's sweltering summer. Earlier this year, as part of his desire to have a private life, he moved out of La Masia and into his own apartment nearby. Usually, La Masia only houses players from outside Catalonia but Barca made an exception when they knew they had a special talent on their hands. Even now, it is a case of letting him be. Another first-teamer, Pau Cubarsi, who was born six months before Yamal, still lives at La Masia while he completes his studies though he has his own room rather than sharing. That is not to say Yamal has moved on from his upbringing. He is often seen at Barca Femeni and Barca B games at the Estadi Johan Cruyff - the day before the Clasico, he was there too. Most of his free time is spent with his cousin Mohamed, who is the son of Abdul and Yamal's chauffer, as well as boyhood friend, Suhaib with the trio inseparable, often staying with him in his apartment and regularly going live on social media for Yamal's followers. Last week, a clip went viral when Yamal told a group of women who initially failed to recognise him that his name was Ryan, when they asked him to take a picture of them. Barcelona subsequently referred to him in a social media post as Ryan. One of his role models on the pitch is Raphinha who vacated the right flank to make way for Yamal Within the Barcelona setup, his close friends include Ansu Fati, Alejandro Balde, Gavi and Hector Fort - all of whom played in similar age groups to Yamal. On the pitch, Raphinha is one of his role models, with the Brazilian's shift to playing on the left ultimately a key part in allowing Yamal to make the right-wing spot his own. The teenager is taking driving lessons and also studying English and cooking. His off-field interests are like other teens, with gaming and streaming part of his hobbies. Yamal has often said that if he wasn't a footballer, he would be an influencer and given his love for social media and obsession with having content the way he wants, he regularly stays at shoots for longer than expected. Barcelona try to keep his commitments to a minimum, despite the barrage of interest from rights-holders and sponsors. For the first time this year, Yamal observed Ramadan and fasted when he could, often travelling back to Rocafonda on an evening to do Iftar with his family. Mounir, who has a troubled past and was stabbed last August, has his own place in the city courtesy of Lamine but the family who all travelled to the Copa del Rey final last month in Seville, will be at Sunday's game against Villarreal when Flick's side will be handed the LaLiga trophy. In Abdul's restaurant, his VIP lanyard from that night in Seville hangs proudly behind the counter. At this rate, there will be many more to add too. As evening begins in Rocafonda, the youth head to the park, dreaming to emulate one of their own. This is street football, with no throw-ins or corners and it helps to understand Yamal's unique style. The line he delivered in his first press conference last month comes to mind. The park in Rocafondo helps to understand why Yamal's game has developed in such a unique way The graffiti in the park reads: 'En el barrio de Rocafonda, mas Lamine Yamals y menos Desahucios' (In the Rocafonda neighbourhood, more Lamine Yamals and fewer evictions) In Rocafonda and across Catalonia, they want to be like Lamine Yamal - the boy with the world at his feet. 'Fear while playing the game? I left all my fears in the park of my neighbourhood, back in Mataro, a while ago,' he said. His trademark Trivela pass is the kind of thing seen in video games and not taught at La Masia, where kids are told to play with one or two touches at most. In Barcelona's Gracia district is a mural of Yamal playing the pass with L2 and X (buttons on Playstation controllers). Yamal has said he would like to be like Neymar and his current style is more Neymar rather than Messi. The blonde hair is inspired by Neymar too but within Barcelona, the feeling is that Yamal will evolve into a more central player over time and more pragmatic in a Messi-esque role as a false nine. 'Like Messi, when the game is in a tough place, he demands the ball,' the Barcelona source says. ''He has that quality that give it to me and I will do my thing,' he adds. The graffiti in the park where the kids play reads: 'En el barrio de Rocafonda, mas Lamine Yamals y menos Desahucios' (In the Rocafonda neighbourhood, more Lamine Yamals and fewer evictions).
