The Spanish superstar has been one of the faces of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but a closer look at his boots shows respect for the two countries that continue to play an important role in his identity and family story.Lamine Yamal has already become one of the most watched players of 2026 FIFA World Cupand the Spanish winger added another chapter to his fast-growing international career when he started his country’s crucial Group H win against Saudi Arabia.Spain went into the game under pressure after conceding a surprise goal against Cape Verde in their opening game, but Luis de la Fuente’s side responded strongly with a 4-0 victory at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.Yamal opened the scoring before the break and a goal from Mikel Oyarzabal completed a dominant Spanish performance that lifted La Roja to the top of Group H with four points and kept their hopes of a place in the quarter-finals in check.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the World Cup Group H soccer match between Spain and Saudi Arabia in Atlanta, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)
The match marked another milestone for the Barcelona star who made his 27th international appearance after becoming one of the most successful players in world football during Spain’s successful Euro 2024 campaign.However Yamal continues to represent Spain at the highest level of football, his boots speak volumes.Anyone who looks closely at the shoes worn in the race will see two flags sewn into them.None of them are in Spain.
The two flags seen on Yamal’s shoes
Yamal always wears Adidas F50 boots with the flags of Morocco and Equatorial Guinea. Symptoms are not accidental.It represents the place of birth of his ancestors and shows the heritage that spreads in three different ways.Although Yamal was born in Barcelona and grew up entirely in Spanish football, his family continues in Spain.His mother was born in Equatorial Guinea, a small Central African country on the west coast of Africa.His father was born in Morocco, a country that has attracted worldwide attention with its history leading up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.The two flags have become a staple on Yamal’s boots and were also seen during the World Cup preparations in Spain and the warm-up sessions in Atlanta.The show serves as a tribute to all sides of his family and recognizes the countries that made his parents long before he emerged as one of the biggest football stars.
Morocco and Equatorial Guinea were both expected to represent them
Yamal’s rise undoubtedly attracted the attention of several international groups. Due to his family history, he was eligible to represent Spain, Morocco and Equatorial Guinea at international level.Spain always seemed to have the upper hand.Born in Barcelona, ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Despite this, Morocco tried to convince him to choose the Atlas Lions instead.The Moroccan Football Federation presented its long-term project to Yamal and his family before the winner made a final decision.Speaking about the negotiations in 2023, the president of the Moroccan Football Federation Fouzi Lekjaa admitted that Spain remained the player’s favorite choice.“We offered our services to him and his family, but Lamine had already decided to go to Spain,” said Lekjaa.“Spain and Morocco are separated by 14 kilometers, and it is unusual for this to happen. I respect Lamine.”According to reports at the time, Yamal told the Moroccan authorities that he understood Spanish and wanted to continue the path he had followed throughout his youth.Equatorial Guinea also kept a big interest in the youngster’s development.In 2024, the president of the Equatorial Guinea Football Federation, Venancio Tomas Ndong Micha, spoke about the country’s connection with the player in an interview with the BBC.“We keep him very close to our hearts and think he will do a lot for Equatoguinean sports,” said Micha.In the end, Yamal chose Spain, but the presence of both flags on his boots shows that he has not distanced himself from both sides of his family’s heritage.
Spain’s World Cup campaign is gaining momentum
Discussions surrounding Yamal’s boots come as Spain continue to strengthen their position in Group H.Their campaign has been run on two very different shows.The tournament started with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, which left Spain facing unpleasant questions despite entering the tournament among the favourites.The response against Saudi Arabia was very convincing.Yamal opened the scoring before Spain overcame their opponents with a blistering display that eventually produced four goals and their first win of the tournament.The result lifted Spain to the top of Group H with four points from two games and put them well into the Round of 32.For Yamal, it represented another important moment in a career that has already become an international phenomenon.
