![\"FC](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780481886_261_0x0.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
FC Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal’s father received many insults over his decision to choose Spain over Morocco at international level.<\/p>\n
NurPhoto via Getty Images<\/p>\n
FC Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal<\/a>\u2019s father \u201chad to endure many insults from Moroccans for choosing Spain\u201d according to guests that feature in a new MARCA documentary<\/a> \u2018Forged: Cradle of Champions\u2019.<\/p>\n Born to parents of Equitorial Guinean and Moroccan descent, Lamine was on the radars of both his father\u2019s country Morocco and his own birthland Spain since emerging as a La Masia prospect.<\/p>\n Ultimately, though, Lamine chose to represent Spain. At the age of 16 while turning 17 in Germany, he\u2019s already been a protagonist in a major tournament win at the European Championships in 2024.<\/p>\n Lamine scored a sensational equaliser against France in the semifinal and provided an assist for Nico Williams to open their country\u2019s account in the final won at England\u2019s expense.<\/p>\n And with Lamine now on the verge of playing his first World Cup amid a batle to shake off the hamstring injury that ended his club season, MARCA has travelled to his neighbourhood.<\/p>\n Rocafonda is a barrio in Mataro, the capital of the Marsesme region around 20 miles east of Barcelona city centre.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was different, he had something special,\u201d said someone from the neighbourhood, as well as explaining that his father \u201chad to endure many insults from Moroccans for choosing Spain\u201d.<\/p>\n Lamine Yamal\u2019s choice has always been a hot topic<\/p>\n Though this is unconfirmed speculation, it has been rumoured that the dispute which led to Lamine\u2019s father being stabbed in August 2024<\/a> was related to an argument that broke out over international allegiances.<\/p>\n In March 2025, ex-director of football with the Spanish national team, Albert Luque, revealed on the Cadena SER radio program El Larguero how Lamine\u2019s Yamal\u2019s father remarked they “were going to kill him”<\/a> in Morocco after Lamine opted for La Roja.<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t an easy case. The Morocco coach came expressly [to Lamine\u2019s entourage] and the Moroccan government tried to convince him,\u201d Luque recalled.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when we spoke to him he told me: ‘I want to be European champion, they are pressuring me from all sides but I want to play with Spain\u2019. This was before he debuted.<\/p>\n \u201cThe father was more complicated. He told me that in Morocco they were going to kill him. He told me some things that it is better not to talk about. His mother is the person Lamine has to lean on the most. She asked me if I wanted him to be with Spain and I lied to her, I told her that it was because he was very prepared and not because of [the threat from] Morocco,\u201d Luque added.<\/p>\n For young Moroccans growing up in Spain, this is a tricky dilemma. While some such as Lamine opted for their country of birth, we\u2019ve seen Madrid-born Paris Saint-Germain full back Achraf Hakimi become Morocco captain.<\/p>\n Elsewhere in the Spanish capital, Real Madrid attacker Brahim Diaz was initially called up by Spain but then switched to Morocco. <\/p>\n