Lamine Yamal credits Moroccan and Equatorial Guinean roots for his character and style

Lamine Yamal says his Moroccan heritage has shaped his strong personality, while his Equatorial Guinean background has given him a cheerful nature.

The Barcelona forward discussed the influence of his mixed heritage in the documentary Revolucio 304, describing both sides of his family as important to the development of his “inimitable game”.

Yamal, 19, was born in Barcelona to a Moroccan father and an Equatorial Guinean mother. His father, Mounir Nasraoui, is from Larache in northern Morocco, while his mother, Sheila Ebana, comes from Bata.

“I have two things from Morocco and two others from Equatorial Guinea,” Yamal said in the film, before linking his personality and playing style to his family background.

Nasraoui also addressed his son’s family identity during a live broadcast on social media. He said the third-placed player in the 2026 Ballon d’Or ranking had inherited both family names.

The comments came after Barcelona’s victory in La Liga at the weekend, when Yamal scored twice.

Yamal’s decision to represent Spain

Yamal committed his international future to Spain in September 2023. He explained that the decision followed a natural progression after representing the country at every youth level from Under-15 to Under-19.

That account was later backed by former Morocco manager Walid Regragui.

Despite Yamal’s decision, Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), continues to regard the left-footed player as Moroccan.

“To be clear, I do not know of any Spaniard called ‘Jamal’ in the history of Spanish football,” Lekjaa said on the subject at the end of May.

Yamal’s links to both countries have remained a subject of discussion since his emergence with Barcelona and Spain, but his international choice has been definitive since 2023. His remarks in Revolucio 304 focused on the personal qualities he believes he inherited from each side of his family rather than revisiting that decision.