Lamine Yamal has addressed the controversy that emerged after his 18th birthday celebrations this summer, following accusations that the Barcelona prodigy engaged in activities exploiting individuals with dwarfism and endorsing the selection of women based on their physical attributes. 

The young footballer, renowned as one of Europe’s brightest talents, found himself in the headlines not for his skills on the field, but due to incidents taking place off it during the summer months. 

The forward celebrated his birthday in July with around 200 people attending the event, including friends, family and team-mates.

Claims were also made by a model named Claudia Calvo that Yamal paid for 12 women with a ‘certain breast size’ to attend the ‘Mafia’ themed bash. 

But after weathering the storm of public opinion, Yamal stayed quiet over the party – choosing to break his silence nearly two months later. 

Speaking to Spanish programme Resonancia de Corazon, Yamal admitted that he found the controversy more amusing than concerning. 

‘I wasn’t mad,’ the 18-year-old said. ‘I found it funny. 

‘They tried to smear it in many ways. A woman said I chose the girls one way or another, and it was all a lie. 

‘Then there was the thing about the waiters, who were working there.’

The Association of People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias with Dwarfism (ADEE) considered legal action in response to the hiring of certain waitstaff, while Martin urged political leaders to endorse a formal investigation into the matter. 

Martin remarked to Marca: ‘We are worried when influential individuals assume they are beyond reproach. Laws apply universally, to both the modest and the powerful.’ Martin also voiced concern that Yamal’s actions could set a precedent for his impressionable fans eager to emulate his conduct. 

Spanish model Calvo, the winner of Miss Teenager Spain 2021 and Miss Teenager Europe 2022, shared her account of being invited to the event, noting the potential earnings for attendees of up to 20,000 euros for 24-hour availability on that particular day. 

Calvo claimed she had backed out of the event after receiving the list of demands.

‘I’ve kept all the proof, the conversations, where I was informed that the compensation would be somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 euros,’ Calvo revealed on Tardear TV.

‘But the truth is that you don’t really know what you’re getting into, because they don’t tell you what they really expect from you beyond “having a good time” at the party.

‘They asked for blonde girls with a certain breast size,’ Calvo claimed, adding organisers were looking for ‘models or escorts’.

Yamal has since returned to the pitch, scoring twice in Barcelona’s three opening LaLiga matches. 

During the international break, the teen star provided a further three assists in Spain’s World Cup qualifying clashes with Bulgaria and Turkey. 

The La Masia graduate has also gone public with his new girlfriend, 25-year-old Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole – who also attended his birthday party. 

Yamal and Nicole confirmed their relationship in mid-August while celebrating her birthday, and although reports in Spain claimed they had broken up a mere 13 days after that, a playful video filmed by Yamal’s Spain team-mate Nico Williams asserted that they were still together. 

Williams filmed the teenager smiling while showing off Nicole on his phone screensaver.

Williams shared the clip with the teasing caption ‘Mi filho está in love,’ which translates as ‘My boy is in love.’

Nicole opened up on the relationship on Thursday while attending a fashion show, admitting she is ‘very much in love’ with Barcelona’s teenage sensation.