As Lamine Yamal chased his first World Cup title with Spain, one of his most visible supporters throughout the tournament was his girlfriend, Ines Garcia Santos, a Spanish social media influencer who has become a fixture at the young star's side both on and off the pitch this year.

Garcia, who also goes by Ines Garcia, recently celebrated her 21st birthday, while Yamal turned 19 earlier this month. After scoring his first goal of the World Cup, Yamal told broadcaster DAZN that he was dedicating the moment to his mother, his girlfriend, his friends and everyone back home in his hometown of Mataro, a comment that offered public confirmation of the relationship's significance to the young forward during the tournament.

A post shared by instagram

A post shared by instagram

How the relationship became public

Dating rumors between Yamal and Garcia first began circulating earlier this year after the couple was spotted vacationing together in Greece. The pair made their first official public appearance together in May at a dinner hosted by FC Barcelona, Yamal's club team, marking the point at which their relationship moved more clearly into public view.

According to Garcia, however, the couple's connection predates that Greece trip by a significant margin. "People started seeing us together when we........

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