Lamine Yamal: "Morocco is also my country
Lamine Yamal opened up like never before in a long interview with the American TV show ’60 Minutes’ on CBS. The prodigy winger of FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team looked back on his beginnings, his personal life, and addressed the issue of his choice of sports nationality without beating around the bush.
The 18-year-old player admitted to having considered wearing the jersey of the Atlas Lions. "The truth is, it was something weird. Yes, I had in my head ’I can play with Morocco’," he confessed. He recalled the particular context of the time, just after Morocco’s epic journey at the 2022 World Cup: "Morocco had just reached the semi-finals of the World Cup."
However, Lamine Yamal assures that his final decision was clear. "At the moment of truth, I never doubted," he affirmed. "With all my love and respect for Morocco, I’ve always wanted to play in a Euro, play here in Europe." He explains this choice by his desire to win major titles like the Euro, an objective already achieved, and now the World Cup.
"It’s also my country"
Despite this purely sporting choice, Lamine Yamal was keen to reaffirm his unwavering connection with the Kingdom. "I will always have affection for Morocco. It’s also my country," he said, stating that playing for the Lions would not have been "strange or bad."
Beyond the national team, the player proudly claims his humble origins. He continues to celebrate his goals by mimicking the postal code "304" of his Rocafonda neighborhood, a way of not forgetting where he comes from. He also describes his mother as the "queen" to whom he obeys in all circumstances. Ambitious for the future, he concluded by promising, in English, that Spain will win the next World Cup in North America.
