We want him to avoid it — Barcelona legend warns Lamine Yamal about his career

Barcelona legend Rivaldo urged Lamine Yamal to apply caution in his dealings after the recent controversies that stemmed from his extravagant 18th birthday party. 

The former Barcelona number 10 lauded the modern inheritor of the kit for his intelligence and skill but urged him to pay more attention to protecting his brand and image.

“Lamine is a kid with a sound mind; he's intelligent, and he's aware of the times he's living in,” Rivaldo told reporters. “But, unfortunately, these things happen, especially when you're so young and already so famous. 

“Any behaviour ends up having a greater impact due to age and media exposure. We hope you reflect on everything you have built up to now to avoid this type of situation.”

Rivaldo emphasised the importance of avoiding controversies for brilliant footballers like Yamal, stating that the focus should be on his exploits in the confines of a football pitch. 

“Those of us who love football want him to continue shining, to play well, and to avoid any controversies that could harm his career. What we want is to talk about what he does on the field, which is wonderful.”

“So, I hope no more rumours come out, because that's annoying; it's sad. We just want to see him shine with the ball at his feet. He deserves to be spoken of only positively for the football he offers.”

Mere weeks after Yamal was rumoured to have been vacationing with a 31-year-old woman, scathing details about his birthday party were made public.

It was revealed that the Barcelona star employed entertainers with dwarfism for his party, a matter that has now been taken up by the Spanish Ministry of Social Rights. The 18-year-old is being investigated for possible breaches of disability laws. 

Also, a model claimed that the organisers of Yamal's party approached her and asked her to help them source women with specific breast sizes. 

Yamal is currently participating in preseason training with Barcelona and has not publicly addressed any of the claims. Barcelona's president, Joan Laporta, played down the controversy, while the player's father, Mounir Nasraoui, fired at his son's detractors.