Yamal's brother becomes Spain's "lucky charm"

Ibrahim bin Mohammed

Sunday, July 12, 2026 9:23 | 2 minutes read

Amid the excitement and thrill of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the child 'Keen', the younger brother of promising Spanish striker Lamine Yamal, stole the spotlight from the biggest stars of the beautiful game, turning into the 'human mascot' and the most engaging icon on social media platforms and in the World Cup stands.

Three-year-old Keen has come to be described within Spanish sports circles as the 'bringer of good luck' for La Roja in their exceptional journey to reclaim the World Cup glory that has eluded them since 2010.

Keen's story with stardom began during Spain's round of 16 clash with Austria, when the international director's cameras caught the child celebrating spontaneously on his father's shoulders, bursting onto the screen with the famous shout 'Vamos!' That moment was not fleeting; within hours it went viral, garnering millions of views. Since then, FIFA's match directors have received clear instructions to monitor this child's movements in every match.

Keen's antics did not stop there; in the thrilling quarter-final match against Belgium (2-1) at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the child surprised his older brother and the audience with laughing facial expressions and sticking out his tongue in front of the giant screens.

Lamine Yamal later revealed the behind-the-scenes story in the mixed zone, saying: 'Before the match, I was in the physiotherapy room, and Keen called me from my mother's phone to tell me he was going to stick his tongue out at me on screen. That's why, when I saw him, I couldn't stop myself from laughing uncontrollably.'

The Keen phenomenon goes beyond amusing moments to touch the psychological dimension of one of the world's top talents; the presence of the little boy acts as a safety valve and an emotional stabilizer for Lamine Yamal, who is only 18 years old.

The Barcelona winger expressed his overflowing emotions towards his brother, saying: 'Seeing my brother happy, and seeing my mother living the life she always dreamed of, moves me deeply. My brother means so much to me; I consider him like my son and I adore him.'

This cohesive family structure gives Yamal a unique motivation to play without pressure, delivering a remarkable performance that leads his country with steady steps.

As Keen turns into a phenomenon beyond football through videos of him running in the stands after the final whistle or his amusing attempts to play golf, Spanish fans hope that their lucky charm will continue to spread optimism and joy during the upcoming clash.

The Spanish national team will face its French counterpart in a fiery classic summit with a flavor of 'final before time' in the semi-final, scheduled for next Tuesday at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Coach Luis de la Fuente looks to capitalize on this positive mental state of his players to repeat the superiority over 'Les Bleus' and advance to the grand final, backed by Keen's innocence and his shouts that have shaken the World Cup.

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