Lamine Yamal is lighting up world football. But behind the 18-year-old Spain star is a story of sacrifice that starts with his mother, Sheila Ebana.
Born in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, Sheila moved to Spain as a teenager searching for a better life. Years later she became a mother to Lamine. She and Lamine’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, separated when he was 3. But both stayed present in his life.
Life wasn’t easy. To provide for her family, Sheila worked as a waitress and cook at a McDonald’s in Mataró.
When she saw how much Lamine loved football, she made another sacrifice. At age 4, Lamine was playing for CF La Torreta. To make training and matches possible, Sheila requested a transfer to a McDonald’s in Granollers, closer to the club.
She worked long hours. Money was tight. But she never missed a chance to support her son.
Lamine has never been shy about giving her credit.
“I never lost respect for my mother,” he once said. “She’s the one who always speaks, and when my mother speaks, everyone listens.”
That belief carried him from local pitches in Catalonia to Barcelona’s academy, and now to the Spain national team.
As Lamine’s career has exploded, fans have also gotten to know Sheila.
Today she has built a large following on social media, where she shares family moments with Lamine and his younger half-brother, Keyne.
From Bata to Mataró to watching her son play for Spain — Sheila Ebana’s journey is a reminder that behind every young star, there’s often a parent who refused to give up.
