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Lamine Yamal makes young fans’ dreams come true at Baylor

Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal signs autographs for fans during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal signs autographs for fans during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal signs autographs for fans during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

By Patrick MacCoon 7 min read

Jackson Ford was shaking soon after Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal signed Ford’s sports card at the end of Saturday’s community training session at Baylor.

Yamal showed why he is one of soccer’s brightest talents as he signed autographs after Spain had finished its first official training session at its home base in Chattanooga in advance of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“Crazy. This is absolutely crazy,” Ford said. “I have been collecting Lamine’s cards for three years, and I am glad I brought my card with me and took it out of the case for him to sign. Just meeting him was so surreal. This is the guy I watch all the time and the guy I have admired and looked up to. To have him right in front of me signing my card was so insane.

Lamine Yamal makes young fans’ dreams come true at Baylor. Spanish national team star signs hundreds of autographs

Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal signs autographs for fans during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal signs autographs for fans during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Brothers Austin and Spencer Bradley, left to right, proudly display their signed Spanish flag that Lamine Yamal and other superstars for the national team signed during a community training session at Baylor School
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Brothers Austin and Spencer Bradley, left to right, proudly display their signed Spanish flag that Lamine Yamal and other superstars for the national team signed during a community training session at Baylor School
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team forward Lamine Yamal practices during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team forward Lamine Yamal practices during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team forward Lamine Yamal practices during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team forward Lamine Yamal practices during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal signs autographs for fans during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal signs autographs for fans during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal signs autographs for fans during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal signs autographs for fans during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal takes a selfie with Tyler Robertson during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Staff Photo by Patrick MacCoon / Spanish national team 18-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal takes a selfie with Tyler Robertson during a community training session at Baylor School. The practice was the first for Spain at its home base for the first phase of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“Lamine is the next goat,” Ford continued, using an acronym for “greatest of all time.”

“I think the show is Lamine Yamal’s already,” Ford said. “I think the World Cup will be in a big way the Lamine Yamal show.”