Who is Keyne? Yamal's little brother stealing spotlight at the World Cup

Not every World Cup star wears a shirt number. Some simply turn up in the stands, shout "Vamooos!" at the top of their lungs and become an internet sensation overnight.

That is exactly what has happened to three-year-old Keyne, the younger half-brother of Spain sensation Lamine Yamal. While Yamal continues to light up the tournament on the pitch, Keyne has quietly become one of its most recognisable faces off it, with his joyful celebrations, playful personality and unmistakable bond with his older brother capturing the hearts of fans across Spain.

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Born in September 2022, Keyne is the son of Yamal's mother, Sheila Ebana. Although the brothers have different fathers, they share a close relationship that Yamal has often spoken about with affection.

After being named player of the match following Spain's Round-of-32 victory last week, the 18-year-old explained just how important his little brother is.

"I'm moved when I see my little brother this happy, as well as seeing my mum and friends living the life they always dreamed of," Yamal said.

"My little brother means everything to me. I am in love with him; it feels like he is my son."

The moment that propelled Keyne into the World Cup spotlight came during Spain's emphatic 3-0 victory over Austria. Moments after Mikel Oyarzabal wrapped up the win with an 89th-minute goal, television cameras found Keyne in the crowd wildly celebrating, yelling "Vamooos!" while pumping his fists with delight.

The clip spread rapidly across social media, becoming one of the tournament's most shared videos in Spain.

During Spain's 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Belgium on Saturday, cameras once again picked him out, waving after appearing on the giant screen at SoFi Stadium.

For Barcelona supporters, however, Keyne's popularity is not new.

He has long been a familiar presence around the club, attending most home matches and many away fixtures across Europe. When Yamal travelled to Paris for the Ballon d'Or ceremony last September, Keyne joined him, happily playing with a Champions League ball on the red carpet before posing for photographs.

His first taste of widespread attention came after Spain's Euro 2024 triumph, when he joined the celebrations on the pitch alongside players and family members.

Since then, Yamal has regularly shared videos of them dancing on TikTok, playing football in the garden and spending time together at home, helping build a growing online following for his younger brother.

Keyne also stole the show during Barcelona's La Liga title celebrations at Camp Nou last season. Videos of him dancing at his birthday party and adorably naming his favourite Barca players quickly became fan favourites.

Other clips show him singing Barcelona's club anthem, cheering his brother's name, playing with the club's Cat mascot and spending time with Yamal's close friend and Spain teammate Nico Williams.

Family has always been central to Yamal's journey. Whenever asked how he has handled the pressures of becoming one of football's brightest young stars, he points to those closest to him. When he signed his new Barcelona contract in July 2025, he made sure his entire family was there to celebrate.

People close to the winger say one of his priorities after breaking into professional football was ensuring his family had everything they needed, a reflection of why Keyne remains such an important part of his life.

The youngster is also a regular feature on his mother Sheila Ebana's Instagram account, which has more than 700,000 followers. While most posts simply capture family moments, brands have already approached Yamal's camp over potential collaborations involving Keyne.

One of the tournament's funniest moments came after the Austria game, when an X user complained beneath broadcaster DAZN's clip that "the blonde woman in front" was blocking the view of Keyne. Spain striker Borja Iglesias quickly replied that "the blonde woman" had "just given you a brace in this game". She was Oyarzabal's mother.

Now, with Spain just one step away from the final, don't be surprised if the cameras find Keyne once again