Spain’s 6–0 thrashing of Turkey should have been a perfect night for Lamine Yamal. The 18-year-old winger set up two goals, underlining once again why FC Barcelona trust him as their brightest young star. But the celebrations ended abruptly when Yamal realized something was missing as the team prepared to leave Konya: his passport.
Witnesses said he looked suddenly rattled as teammates boarded the bus. He checked his bag, rifled through a suitcase on the pavement, even ran back inside the locker room, but came up empty-handed. Turkish TV outlet Beyaz Futbol captured the moment on video. Reporter Emir, who shared the footage, noted simply that Yamal “left the stadium without finding it.”
The teenager wasn’t able to leave with the main group right away. Spanish officials contacted the local police in Konya and worked closely with Turkish airport staff to clear him for travel. By late that night, he boarded a private jet back to Barcelona, arriving home the same morning as the rest of the squad.
From panic to memes
A night that had already showcased Yamal’s talent ended with a far less glamorous scene. Hours after creating two goals in Spain’s rout of Turkey, he was in a dimly lit car park, suitcase open, searching for a passport that wasn’t there. Did Arda Guler take it? Yamal and Guler clashed in the second half, with the Real Madrid man clearly frustrated with the Spaniard’s antics.
Luckily, the mix-up resolved itself before it became anything more serious. Spanish officials worked alongside local authorities, clearing the teenager to leave later that night. By morning, the youngster was back in Barcelona, training as if nothing had happened.
What could have lingered as a headache quickly turned into a footnote. For teammates, it is likely to become the kind of story told with a grin, a reminder that even rising stars can misplace something as simple as a travel document.
The episode also carried a quiet lesson. National teams often manage passports collectively to avoid mishaps, and Yamal’s experience may prompt Spain to adopt a similar practice. Even Lionel Messi once endured his own paperwork scare on tour, proof that these lapses can happen to the very best.
What began as panic outside the stadium is now simply a story of a gifted teenager learning on the fly. It adds a layer of humanity to a career otherwise defined by brilliance, a reminder that behind the assists and accolades, Yamal is still finding his way.
