Lamine Yamal: Age, Height, Salary, Injury & Messi Praise

Every so often, a teenager arrives who makes you stop and check the birth date twice — Lamine Yamal is that player right now for FC Barcelona, carrying the weight of a legendary shirt number before he can legally buy a drink and already making over 100 appearances and scoring in a Clásico by July 2025. This is a fact-checked look at who he is, what he earns, and the questions fans keep asking.

Full name: Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana ·
Date of birth: 13 July 2007 ·
Height: 1.78 m ·
Position: Right winger / attacking midfielder ·
Current club: FC Barcelona ·
Jersey number: 19

Ten key facts about Yamal, drawn from the club’s own data and verified sources:

What is Lamine Yamal diagnosed with?

Current injury status

Lamine Yamal suffered a left hamstring injury during a La Liga match in early 2024. Barcelona’s official communication confirmed the injury and later declared him 100% fit to play after a rehabilitation period (FC Barcelona medical statement). No long-term or chronic condition has been reported.

Previous reported diagnoses

• No other significant injuries or diagnoses are documented in his professional career beyond the hamstring issue.
• The club’s medical staff cleared him for full training and match participation by mid-2024.

The implication: Yamal’s injury history is minimal — a single muscle strain that required standard recovery time, no recurrence reported.

This clean bill of health underscores the effective load management by Barcelona’s medical team.

How much is Lamine Yamal’s salary per week?

Contract details with FC Barcelona

Yamal signed his first professional contract with Barcelona in 2023. TIME magazine reported that the deal included a €1 billion buyout clause, a figure designed to deter any club from triggering an early release.

Reported weekly wage figures

Capology, a site that tracks football salary estimates, lists Yamal’s 2024-2025 gross base salary at €1,670,000 per year, which works out to roughly €32,115 per week before bonuses (Capology estimate). His 2025-2026 salary is projected to jump significantly to €16,670,000 gross, or around €320,577 per week, reflecting his new long-term deal.

The pattern: His current wage places him well below Barcelona’s top earners, but the projected 2025-2026 figure would make him one of the better-paid teenagers in world football.

Is Lamine Yamal an African?

Ethnic background and nationality

Lamine Yamal was born in Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain, and holds Spanish nationality. His father, Mounir Nasraoui, immigrated to Spain from Morocco, and his mother, Sheila Ebana, immigrated from Equatorial Guinea, as reported by TIME citing The Athletic. This gives him dual African heritage through both parents.

Parents’ origins

• Father: Mounir Nasraoui (Moroccan)
• Mother: Sheila Ebana (Equatorial Guinean)
• Yamal’s parents split when he was 3 years old but co-parented him (TIME)

The takeaway: Yamal is Spanish by birth, but his family roots trace to two African nations, making him a symbol of the multicultural fabric that increasingly defines European football.

Has Messi talked about Lamine Yamal?

Public praise from Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi has publicly praised Lamine Yamal, calling him “a special talent” and stating that Yamal “has everything to be a star,” according to multiple interview reports (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

Messi’s comments about Barcelona youngster

• Yamal has stated in interviews that Lionel Messi is his idol and the player he looks up to most.
• No direct public interaction between them has been documented beyond Messi’s verbal praise.

What this means: Having the greatest player in the club’s history personally endorse him adds enormous weight to Yamal’s status. In the Messi-shadow that hangs over every Barcelona winger, this is as good a blessing as any teenager could receive.

Who is the highest paid player at Barcelona right now?

Current wage structure

As of 2025, the highest paid player at FC Barcelona is Robert Lewandowski, earning approximately €18 million per year (Capology estimates for Barcelona). Other top earners include Frenkie de Jong and Ilkay Gündogan, both on substantial contracts.

Comparison with Yamal’s salary

The contrast is stark: Lewandowski’s reported €18 million annual salary is more than ten times Yamal’s current €1.67 million. Even after Yamal’s projected jump to €16.67 million in 2025-2026, he would still trail Lewandowski’s current figure.

The trade-off: Barcelona pays its established stars premiums for proven output, while Yamal’s current deal reflects his age and relatively short track record. If his trajectory continues, he will command top wages by the time he turns 20.

What car does Lamine Yamal drive?

Reported vehicle

Yamal has been spotted arriving at training in an Audi RS6. The car is part of the fleet provided to Barcelona players through the club’s long-standing partnership with Audi (Barcelona partnership with Audi). He has not publicly confirmed ownership or personal purchase of the vehicle.

Sponsorship deals

Beyond the Audi connection, Yamal has not announced any major personal car sponsorship. Most players at Barcelona receive courtesy vehicles through the club’s deal, so the car is more likely a benefit than a personal statement of wealth.

The catch: Spotting a 17-year-old behind the wheel of a performance car raises natural questions, but in this case it’s a standard club perk, not a personal splurge.

What is Lamine Yamal’s religion?

Religious background

Lamine Yamal has not publicly confirmed his religion. Reports suggest he follows Islam due to his family background — his father is Moroccan and his mother is from Equatorial Guinea, a country with significant Muslim and Christian populations — but no official confirmation from Yamal himself exists (TIME).

Public statements

• Yamal has not posted religious content on his social media or discussed faith in interviews.
• His Wikipedia biography includes no mention of religious affiliation.

The pattern: In the absence of a direct statement, media speculation fills the gap. Until Yamal chooses to address it, his religion remains a private matter.

Timeline: Lamine Yamal’s rise from La Masia to first team

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Lamine Yamal was born on 13 July 2007 in Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain (FC Barcelona official profile)
• He plays for FC Barcelona as a right winger (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
• He suffered a left hamstring injury in early 2024 and has been declared fit (FC Barcelona medical staff)
• Lionel Messi has praised him publicly
• His father is Moroccan, his mother is Equatorial Guinean (TIME)
• Barcelona placed a €1 billion buyout clause in his contract (TIME)

What remains unclear

• His exact weekly salary is not officially published by the club; figures from Capology are estimates
• His religion is not publicly confirmed; some reports suggest Islam based on family background
• Whether he drives an Audi RS6 is from unofficial sighting, not verified by him
• No confirmed information about him having a wife or baby
• Official height from FC Barcelona is 1.78 m, but many sources list 1.83 m
• Net worth not officially disclosed; estimated in low millions based on reported salary

Key quotes about Lamine Yamal

“He has everything to be a star.”

— Lionel Messi, praising Lamine Yamal as a special talent among Barcelona youngsters (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

“Lamine Yamal is 100% fit to play.”

— Barcelona medical staff, in an official statement declaring Yamal fully recovered from his hamstring injury (FC Barcelona medical statement)

Lamine Yamal’s story is still being written, but the first chapters are already historic. For Barcelona fans, the implication is clear: invest in the journey now, or watch from the sidelines when the buyout clause becomes someone else’s bidding war.

For more on Lamine Yamal’s career details, including his religious background, you can visit Lamine Yamals career details.

Frequently asked questions