Yamal credits mother's sacrifices for shielding him from childhood hardship

Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal, 19, has opened up about growing up in financial difficulty, crediting his mother Sheila Ebana for protecting him from its harshest realities. Ebana emigrated from Equatorial Guinea to Spain as a teenager, gave birth to Yamal at 16, and raised him largely on her own after separating from his father when Lamine was three. Yamal says she ensured he saw only the positive side of life despite their circumstances. The World Cup winner also reflected on his swift rise at Barcelona, admitting he had not expected to break into the first team as quickly as he did.