Inés García Defends Romance with Lamine Yamal as Barcelona Star Prepares for 2026 FIFA World Cup Debut

Spanish influencer Inés García has publicly addressed the backlash surrounding her relationship with FC Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, stating she is “very happy and very calm” despite sustained criticism from online commentators.

García, 21, spoke to El Periodico about the scrutiny she has faced since the relationship became public, pushing back against claims that she ended a previous long-term partnership specifically to pursue Yamal. She dismissed such assertions as baseless and rejected suggestions that fame or financial gain motivated the relationship, pointing out that she had already been developing her own platform as a Sevilla-based influencer before the romance attracted public attention.

On her professional life, García made clear that her work as an influencer is something she intends to continue regardless of the attention that comes with being linked to one of football’s most high-profile young stars. She described the current period as “the happiest moment of my life,” while acknowledging that the intense public interest in Yamal makes maintaining personal privacy a significant challenge.

The couple first drew public attention after photographs emerged of them together on holiday in Greece. The relationship was formally confirmed when Yamal brought García to Barcelona’s end-of-season team dinner, where the pair were photographed together publicly — a moment widely described as a “hard launch” of the romance.

Yamal, who turns 19 in July 2026, is preparing for what is expected to be one of the defining chapters of his young international career. The Barcelona winger is set to make his FIFA World Cup debut at the North America 2026 tournament, where Spain arrive as one of the leading contenders. His participation had been a point of concern following a hamstring injury late in the domestic season, but he has since recovered in time for the tournament.

At international level, Yamal’s record-breaking trajectory has been well-documented. He made his senior debut for Spain in September 2023 at just 16 years and 57 days old, becoming the youngest player to represent the national side. He subsequently became the youngest player ever to score and win a major international trophy when Spain claimed the UEFA Euro 2024 title, a tournament in which he also received the Young Player Award.

At club level, Yamal concluded the 2025-26 domestic campaign in strong form for Barcelona, cementing his position as the team’s primary attacking threat from the right flank. He is expected to fulfil a similar role for Luis de la Fuente’s Spain side at the World Cup, where La Roja enter among the betting favourites to lift the trophy.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 nations. For Yamal, it represents the one major senior honour absent from an already remarkable early career.