He hasn't grown a proper beard yet. At 18, he barely needs to shave.
But if Spain lifts the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, Lamine Yamal has promised the world he will grow a full beard and moustache for three whole weeks, and even give away 100 Beats headphones to fans.
The pledge came directly from Yamal himself on his YouTube channel, where the Barcelona star told fans: "I promise that if I win the World Cup I'll grow my beard and moustache for three weeks. I promise that if I win the World Cup, I'll raffle 100 beats."
Prove Yamal Is Ready for a World Cup
During the 2024-25 season, Yamal made 55 appearances for Barcelona, scoring 18 goals and providing 25 assists across all competitions. He did it at 18, an age when many players are still trying to break into a first team.
At Euro 2024, Yamal was only 16, but he played with so much confidence for his age.
He became the youngest player to score at a European Championship at 16 years and 362 days, the youngest to appear in a Euro or World Cup final, and the youngest player to win a major international tournament, breaking a record that had belonged to Pele for decades.
Yamal won the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the world's best under-21 player, in both 2024 and 2025. By the time he collected his second award, he was still younger than many of the players competing in Europe's top youth tournaments.
His Spain teammate Mikel Merino recently called him probably the best player in the world right now.
“He’s a massive player, probably the best in the world at the minute, but he’s not the only player who needs to perform – he can’t do it on his own.
“I’d say our biggest strength is that we’re like a collective and we play as a team. He’s a big part of a bigger puzzle.”
Lamine Yamal Injury Update: Will He Be Fit for Spain's First World Cup Game?
There is one concern for Spain, however. Yamal has been out since suffering a hamstring injury ahead of the tournament and is expected to miss the team's opening World Cup match.
His availability for the second group-stage game remains uncertain. Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has backed Yamal to recover in time for the opener, even describing him as "touched by God."
“I believe he’ll be ready for the first match, and we hope he can live up to expectations, but without putting undue pressure on him. He’s very mature.”
Behind the optimism, though, there is an understandable degree of caution. Hamstring injuries can be difficult to manage, and Spain will not want to jeopardise the rest of his tournament by rushing him back too soon.
“First and foremost, caution. We need to give him the time he needs, especially now," De la Fuente told reporters.
