By AFP

This report was published on 15 July 2026.

The incident underscores a troubling pattern of home invasions targeting high-profile footballers in Spain, especially during major tournaments when their homes may be unoccupied.

An attempted burglary occurred at the Barcelona residence of Spanish football star Lamine Yamal, shortly after he helped Spain reach their second World Cup final on Wednesday, according to police and media reports.

“There was an attempted” burglary “at a home in Esplugues de Llobregat” in Barcelona’s outskirts, a spokesperson for Catalan regional police told the news agency AFP.

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The force declined to identify the property’s owner for privacy reasons, but Barcelona-based daily La Vanguardia said the house belonged to the 19-year-old Spain forward.

Two people wearing balaclavas climbed onto the house’s wall but were surprised by private security guards and fled, La Vanguardia reported.

The newspaper said Yamal’s house is well known because it once belonged to Barcelona football great Gerard Pique and his ex-partner, Colombian music star Shakira, when they lived together in the Catalan capital.

The incident took place early Wednesday morning, soon after Spain's 2-0 victory over France in Texas secured their spot in the World Cup final.

Yamal won a first-half penalty that Mikel Oyarzabal converted to open the scoring. The forward also helped Barca defend La Liga, the Spanish domestic league title, last season.

In Madrid, Karim Benzema, Rodrygo and Dani Carvajal are among the football stars to have suffered break-ins at their homes in recent years.

Spain will face either Argentina or England in Sunday’s finale to the 2026 edition of FIFA’s global showpiece event.

Yamal's house, formerly owned by Gerard Pique and Shakira, is a well-known property. The attempted burglary is part of a broader trend, with stars like Benzema, Rodrygo, and Carvajal also suffering break-ins. As Spain prepares for Sunday's World Cup final, off-field security remains a concern for the sport's elite.