Lamine Yamal is living out a dream in his first World Cup. At 18, representing the Spanish national team, he's cemented himself as one of the standout figures of the tournament. His joy extends well beyond the pitch, sharing it with the people closest to him and his fans.
His love story with Inés García has been grabbing attention on social media. Faced with several theories about how the two met, the content creator didn't just open up about their relationship like never before; she also set the record straight on how they actually crossed paths.
© @ineesgaarciaWhile getting ready to catch her flight to Los Angeles to support the Spanish team in its match against Austria for a spot in the round of 16, Inés got candid with her followers. "I'm finally going to tell you how I met my boyfriend!" she said with a smile.
"You're probably expecting some perfect, crazy love story. Like I saw him in a store, the way it supposedly went down... my savior, my hero," she said, laughing as she shot down the rumored first encounter that went viral a few weeks back, where Inés was allegedly trying to pay for some snacks at a small store when her card got declined. While she was transferring money between accounts, Yamal, a kind stranger, swooped in and covered her bill.
© @lamineex10_"Here's the real story: 3, 2, 1... social media!" she revealed, smiling. "I'd love to tell you some super crazy story, like I saw him at an airport, or ran into him and dropped my papers, and he helped me pick them up. Nope, nope, nope. We met on social media," she said, putting an end to the rumors.
While she didn't share exactly when their paths first crossed online, she confirmed they've been together "a lot longer than people think."
Being as candid as possible, she said, "People started seeing us together when we went to Greece," referring to the trip that made headlines in April 2026. "I've known Lamine for a lot longer than that. Not quite three years, but a good deal more months than people realize, even now." Her comment sent fans digging through the timeline, since Yamal had confirmed the end of his relationship with Argentine singer Nicki Nicole back in November 2025.
© @ineesgaarciaLamine Yamal's Good Luck Charm
Inés García has been a constant presence at Spain's matches, cheering Lamine on at every game and showing how proud she is of him. The 20-year-old influencer has shared several photos from the stadiums, including one especially sweet shot with Keyne, her boyfriend's little brother. Inés also celebrated Lamine's 10th-minute goal against Saudi Arabia, his first goal of the World Cup.
"But yeah, we're just enjoying this World Cup experience, me, my friend, him, his family, his friends. We're having an amazing time. We're going to win the World Cup, he's the best," Inés added in her video. And with that hope in mind, she said, "Hopefully, we get to celebrate my birthday and his birthday here, that would mean we're already close to the final."
Lamine turns 19 on July 13, and she turns 21 on July 9.
© @lamineyamal
