Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona forward known for topping millions of followers and collecting trophies and Golden Boy awards, may be facing a new kind of competition at home. When his younger brother Keyne is around, it is not always clear who ends up in the best photograph.
Keyne does not yet play for Barcelona, but he has developed a skill not taught at La Masia, the club's famed youth academy: stealing the scene.
He proved it once again during a family outing with his mother, Sheila Ebana, and her partner. Nothing about the day was extraordinary on the surface. It included a walk, a restaurant visit, a few admirers asking for photographs, and a family trying to enjoy an ordinary day within the new normal of having one of the most famous footballers on the planet as a son.
Sheila Ebana draws her own attention
Ebana is already experiencing the side effects of her son's fame. Fans recognize her, approach her, and ask for photographs, which she handles with ease. During lunch, she touched up her lipstick while her partner applied lip balm, small rituals that come with having a global star in the family.
Keyne steals the show
Once again, Keyne showed he knows how to win over a camera, a quality that comes naturally to him rather than through any coaching. He acts with total indifference toward the camera and still manages to capture everyone's attention.
This time, all it took was refusing to kiss a woman who was with the family. Without any diplomacy, he turned her down with one of his gestures, turning an otherwise insignificant moment into the funniest photograph of the day.
A familiar face in Yamal's circle
This is not the first time Keyne has stolen attention. He has become one of the favorite figures among those around Lamine Yamal, and his appearances alongside the footballer tend to spark an immediate reaction from fans because of his spontaneity.
Yamal has no problem sharing the spotlight with his brother. Quite the opposite: some of the footballer's most tender images are the ones he shares with Keyne, moments in which the striker watched by half the world briefly disappears and simply an older brother remains.
Keyne, meanwhile, is too young to be impressed by his brother's stardom, which gives him a clear advantage. For millions of children, Lamine Yamal is an idol, and Keyne has likely grown used to seeing adults and teenagers alike raise their phones whenever his brother is near. For him, Yamal is simply his brother, and he reserves the privilege of treating him without any special reverence.
The little sibling who becomes a star
The story is a reminder of one of the unwritten rules of celebrity families: never lose sight of the younger sibling. They tend to stay in the background, growing up alongside a fame they never chose, until one day it becomes clear they have a personality strong enough to build their own persona. Bella Hadid is one example. For a time she was known simply as Gigi Hadid's little sister, before emerging as a supermodel in her own right, known for her magnetic and chameleon-like style.
It is, of course, far too early to know whether Keyne will develop any interest in football, entertainment, or neither. For now, his professional career consists mainly of being a child, an occupation he carries out with plenty of flair.
