May my mother rest, not my family or my country! These were the ten words that Lamine Yamal spoke with a firm voice and eyes full of emotion in a press conference that will go down in the history of Spanish football.

What began as a routine appearance after a national team match transformed in just seconds into one of the most tense and viral moments in recent sport, all caused by the controversial and rude statements of El Gran Wyoming against the mother and family of the young star of FC Barcelona and La Roja.

The incident occurred in the press room of the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, minutes after Spain sealed its place in the Euro 2024 final with a stellar performance by Lamine Yamal.

The 17-year-old player was addressing the media with the naturalness that characterizes him when, unexpectedly, El Gran Wyoming – present as a guest contributor to a satirical program – took the floor and launched a series of deeply offensive comments.

According to eyewitnesses and recordings that quickly flooded the networks, the comedian made direct reference to Yamal’s mother, Mounira, with derogatory expressions that bordered on the intolerable and included xenophobic references to the Moroccan origin of the footballer’s family.

The initial silence of the room was broken when Lamine Yamal, visibly affected but with a maturity that left everyone present speechless, requested the microphone.

Without raising his voice, but with a determination that chilled the room, the young prodigy stared at Wyoming and blurted out: “May my mother rest, not my family or my country!” Ten words. Not one more. But enough to make the entire sports world stop.

The message hit home immediately. It wasn’t just a retort to a personal attack; It was a declaration of principles.

Lamine made it clear that no one, not even a media figure with decades of experience, had the right to tarnish his mother’s name or question the love he feels for his family and for the two countries he carries in his heart: Spain, the nation where he was born and gave him everything, and Morocco, the land of his roots and his blood.

Wyoming, surprised by the immediate reaction and the murmurs of disapproval that began to grow in the room, tried to redirect the situation.

Visibly nervous, he raised his hands and asked for “peace and love,” claiming that everything had been “a bad joke” and that “there was no intention to offend.”

However, his apology sounded lukewarm and unconvincing given the gravity of his previous words.

It was then that Lamine Yamal spoke again and closed the episode with a phrase that is now part of the collective imagination of Spanish football: “My mother is sacred and so is my country. Respect is not asked for, it is given.”

Immediately afterwards, he stood up and left the room to the applause of several journalists and teammates who had come to support him.

Social media exploded in a matter of minutes. The hashtag #LamineYamal became a global trend in less than an hour, and the phrase “May my mother rest, not my family or my country!” It accumulated millions of views.

Players like Pedri, Gavi, Morata and even legends like Andrés Iniesta and Carles Puyol quickly came out to support the young winger. “Proud to have you in this team, brother. Nobody touches the family here,” Pedri wrote on his X account.

For its part, the Royal Spanish Football Federation issued an official statement condemning “any type of personal or xenophobic attack” and announced that it will study measures against the access of certain professionals to the national team’s press conferences if similar episodes are repeated.

FC Barcelona also spoke out: “Lamine represents the values ​​of this club: talent, humility and respect. We are at his side and that of his family.”

In Morocco, the response was equally strong.

The Moroccan Football Federation, local media and thousands of fans filled the networks with messages of affection towards Yamal, remembering that the player has never renounced his origin and that he has even expressed on several occasions his desire to continue representing Spain without forgetting his roots.

“Lamine is an example for Moroccan and Spanish youth. No one can break that bridge of love,” wrote the official account of the Moroccan team.

Hours later, already at the national team’s concentration, Lamine Yamal published a story on Instagram with a photo hugging her mother and the text: “She gave me life and taught me to walk with my head high. Thank you for always defending me. I love you, mom ❤️🇲🇦🇪🇸.”

The publication exceeded 15 million likes in less than 24 hours.

Wyoming himself, aware of the tsunami he had unleashed, published a more extensive apology on his

It was not my intention to hurt, but the damage has been done and I take full responsibility.” However, the majority of responses under his tweet were harsh and many users reminded him that “there are lines that a comedian should never cross.”

This episode has reopened the debate about the limits of humor, respect for diversity and the structural racism that still persists in certain sectors of Spanish entertainment.

What no one disputes is the fortitude shown by a 17-year-old boy who, with just ten words, defended what was most sacred to him and gave a lesson in dignity to the entire country.

Lamine Yamal is not only the future of Spanish and European football; After what happened in Berlin, it has also become a symbol of pride, family loyalty and love for one’s roots. And all this without ever losing the smile that characterizes him.

May my mother rest, not my family or my country! A phrase that is now history. A phrase that we will remember every time we see Lamine Yamal fly down the sideline with the Spain shirt or every time we talk about values ​​in sport.

Because there are things that not even the best joke in the world can touch.