Lamine Yamal leads Spain at World Cup as FIFA partners with Kraken crypto exchange

Lamine Yamal Spain World Cup FIFA Kraken partnership $YAMAL token Young Player award

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, 18, entered the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the overwhelming favorite for the tournament’s Young Player award. After missing pre‑tournament friendlies with a hamstring strain, he was cleared to start Spain’s opening match against Cape Verde and later said his goal is to score or assist Spain’s first World Cup goal against Saudi Arabia on June 21.

Yamal has attracted praise from former world‑cup winner Paul Pogba, who placed the teenager among the world’s top three players. Off the pitch, Yamal confirmed a relationship with Spanish influencer Inés García, who has a large following on Instagram and TikTok.

In a commercial milestone, FIFA announced Kraken as its first official crypto‑exchange supporter. A Solana‑based fan token, $YAMAL, was launched but traded at market caps of only a few thousand dollars, highlighting limited market demand despite the high‑profile partnership.

Sources

Lamine Yamal Vs. The World: Can Anyone Stop Him From Winning Young Player Of The Tournament? [twsn.net]

about 1 month ago

Paul Pogba names Barcelona star among the three best players in the world: 'If he isn’t first. . . ' | Barca Universal [barcauniversal.com]

about 1 month ago

Who is Inés García? Lamine Yamal confirms dating Spanish influencer amid his FIFA World Cup debut [www.bollywoodlife.com]

about 1 month ago

Lamine Yamal targets Spain's first World Cup goal as Kraken makes FIFA crypto history [cryptobriefing.com]

about 1 month ago