Every major tournament brings a wave of excitement about the young talent poised to burst onto the scene.
The 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico has been no different, with the likes of Ivory Coast’s Yan Diaomande, Mexico’s Gilberto Mora and Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi – all still teenagers – making a name for themselves on the biggest stage.
Lamine Yamal was that breakout star at Euro 2024, and it is easy to forget that the Spanish sensation was still only 18 when this tournament got under way (he turned 19 yesterday).
Yamal has continued to dominate headlines with his performances on the pitch, but this time there appears to be another Yamal stealing the spotlight off it.
‘This time around, the biggest sensation of the competition isn’t an athlete, the goals, or even the trophy itself,’ was how Hola! – Spain’s version of Hello! magazine – put it. ‘It’s Keyne, Lamine Yamal’s three-year-old brother, who’s taking the tournament by storm with his hilarious moments.’
Standing just a few feet tall, Keyne has rapidly become an internet sensation. The toddler has melted hearts throughout Spain’s run to the semi-finals, endearing himself to supporters across the world.
Keyne Yamal’s popularity reached fever pitch after Spain’s quarter-final victory, when television cameras cut to the three-year-old waving and smiling at his brother from the stands
Down on the pitch, Yamal burst into laughter after spotting Keyne sticking out his tongue on the stadium’s giant screens
Elsewhere in the media, he has been dubbed ‘the star of the 2026 World Cup’, ‘Spain’s superstar in the stands’ and ‘the most beloved personality of the tournament’.
Keyne’s popularity reached fever pitch after Spain’s quarter-final victory over Belgium last week, when television cameras cut to the three-year-old waving and smiling at his brother from the stands.
Down on the pitch, Yamal burst into laughter after spotting Keyne sticking out his tongue on the stadium’s giant screens. Images of the youngster’s antics were soon circulating across social media.
Speaking to journalists after the match, Yamal revealed his brother had warned him about his plans the day before, making the moment even funnier.
‘I was at physio and he called me, using my mum’s phone, and told me that he was going to stick his tongue out tomorrow,’ the right-winger explained. ‘So that’s why when I saw him on the screen, it really made me laugh.’
Born in September 2022, Keyne is the son of Yamal’s mother, Sheila Ebana. Although the pair do not share the same father, the Barcelona star spoke glowingly about their bond after being named player of the match in Spain’s round-of-32 victory last Thursday.
‘I’m moved when I see my little brother this happy, as well as seeing my mum and friends living the life they always dreamed of,’ he said.
‘My little brother means everything to me. I am in love with him; it feels like he is my son.’
Although the pair do not share the same father, the Barcelona star regularly speaks about their close bond, with Keyne pictured with their mother after Spain’s Euros win in 2024
For those who have followed Yamal’s rise closely, Keyne’s presence is nothing new. The footballer regularly shares videos of them doing TikTok dances together, while clips of the pair playing with a football on the pitch during Barcelona’s La Liga title celebrations last season also went viral.
There is footage of Keyne singing the Barcelona anthem at home and cheering his brother’s name. He has been filmed joking around with Barca’s giant mascot, Cat, and spending time with Yamal’s close friend and Spain team-mate Nico Williams after a La Liga match between Barcelona and Athletic Club. Yamal also recently shared a video of him and his mum walking down the street together, behind Keyne driving a Mercedes electric kids car.
When Yamal gave a tour of his former Barcelona flat at the end of last year, he proudly showed viewers a small statuette depicting him squatting and said it was Keyne’s ‘favourite thing in my house’. The figure references the traditional Catalan caganer – typically hidden within Nativity scenes and portrayed relieving itself outside the stable – and Keyne appears especially delighted that his older brother has his own version.
Yamal, who brought Keyne with him to the Ballon d’Or ceremony, has previously spoken about wanting to give his younger brother the childhood he never had. The winger has made his famous ‘304’ celebration – a reference to the postcode of Rocafonda, one of Catalonia’s most deprived neighbourhoods where he grew up – a symbol of his identity and a nod to his roots.
‘My mom had me when she was 16 – now that’s real pressure,’ he told Spanish broadcaster Cadena SER. ‘Then my dad had to go out and make a living, scavenging on the streets to bring food home. That’s pressure. All I have to do is play and keep the Spanish fans happy.’
‘I came from an apartment where the kitchen and bedroom were in the same place,’ he said on a podcast last year. ‘So I see my mother happy, I see that my brother can have the kind of childhood I would have wanted, and that’s what makes me happiest.’
Keyne is also a familiar face on his mother’s Instagram profile, appearing in sponsored posts, including a recent promotion for a sushi restaurant in Premià de Mar, a coastal town near Barcelona.
If Spain can get past France this evening and book their place in Sunday’s final in New York, one thing already seems certain: this mini Yamal is likely to be at the heart of the celebrations.
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