“I have spoken with Lamine. He is calm and eager to play,” explained Abdul, Lamine Yamal’s uncle, to La Vanguardia hours before the final. He was speaking from Larache, the Moroccan city where he was born and to which he had traveled just 24 hours earlier. Because superstitions, those rituals or habits repeated convinced they bring luck, are not exclusive to Argentina. He also decided to keep his, the one that had brought him luck during the Eurocup. For this, he closed the family business, Bar LY 304, this week. Abdul did not know it yet, but the superstition would work again. It was not the only one.
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In the Rocafonda neighborhood, in Mataró, superstitions also have their place. As happened in the Eurocup final, everyone trusted that the talisman of Parc Central would work again with the installation of a giant screen to follow the match. “I repeat. Just like in 2024,” says Hatim. He wears the Barça jersey with Lamine’s number 10 and plays as a goalkeeper in the neighborhood team. “I accompany him,” adds Osma Kikih. He has bet on the Spain jersey with Lamine’s number 19.
The winger’s family followed the final between Morocco, Mataró, Barcelona, United States
Some things, however, have changed. This time, Moha and Suhail, Lamine’s cousin and friend, were not in front of the screen. They have traveled to the United States to accompany him, just like his mother, Sheila; his little brother, Keyne; and his partner, Inés.
His father, Mounir, who was present at the Berlin final, stayed in Barcelona this time. The one who does remain in the neighborhood, just in case, is Fátima, Lamine’s grandmother, who, somewhat overwhelmed, has decided not to go out for a walk. “She is tired of so much hustle and bustle. Many people stop to talk to her these days,” explains Jaoud, a family friend and owner of the Zouhor café, which used to be the Arábica bakery, famous for the Lamine mural. The mural is no longer there, but inside there are several photographs of the footballer wearing the national team jersey. “I promised her,” explains Jaoud. On the balcony of Lamine’s grandmother’s house, a Spanish flag also waves. Another superstition. It would also work.
“Welcome, everyone. Today we are all with Lamine Yamal,” they announced over the park’s loudspeaker, which shares the same postal code (08304) as the Rocafonda neighborhood. Many boys and girls imitate Lamine’s celebration by drawing 304 with their fingers. Today, 54 different nationalities coexist in Rocafonda. Everyone present boos Donald Trump when he appears on the screen, gets outraged by Argentina’s toughness, and dances to Shakira’s multicultural show. The venue hangs a full capacity sign with 10,000 people. There is also room for Argentinians in Rocafonda. There are even divided couples, like Nancy, who proudly wears Messi’s jersey, and Dani, with Spain’s.
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It was added time. Enzo Fernández’s expulsion unleashed the biggest ovation in front of the giant screen. Then came Lamine’s free kick and Dibu Martínez’s stretch. Overtime. Flares with Mikel Merino’s goal. Outrage at the referee, Slavko Vinčić, who disallowed it. And, shortly after, Ferran Torres’s goal.
No one could stop the contained euphoria, which rose even more in decibels when they saw Lamine hug him. “For you. And for the street,” the winger had posted on Instagram hours before the final. And Rocafonda celebrated it. The boy from 304 has given them a reason to believe. He has put them on the map. And that was the greatest of all superstitions.
As for the family of number 19, they celebrated with video calls between Barcelona, Mataró, Morocco, and the United States. Jaoud helped them maintain the connection.
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