Lamine Yamal’s father calls out critics: Delivers seven‑word message about Barcelona star’s birthday party backlash
The celebration of Lamine Yamal’s 18th birthday—a momentous occasion for one of Barcelona‘s brightest young talents—has taken an unexpected turn. Instead of commemorating the launch of Yamal into adulthood and his symbolic assignment of the Blaugrana’s iconic No. 10 shirt, the event has ignited a media storm over allegations of insensitivity and excess.
While fans and the soccer community initially marveled at the grandiosity of the party—held at a luxury estate in Olivella and attended by over 200 guests, it wasn’t long before criticism poured in. At the heart of the controversy was the reported hiring of performers with dwarfism for entertainment, which advocacy groups claim violated Spanish disability rights laws.
Amid this storm, the player’s father, Mounir Nasraoui, has stepped forward in a defiant and emotional defense of his son. “He’s just a kid who has the right to enjoy life a little,” Nasraoui told Europa Press. “Yes, he’s a professional athlete, but he also has friends, his family looks after him, and he deserves to live like any other young person his age.”
Lavish party meets social scrutiny
The event was intended as a private celebration. But images and videos circulating online—showing a mafia-themed celebration with drones, extravagant decor, and high-value jewelry—fueled accusations of poor taste. Most notably, the Spanish Association of People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias (ADEE) denounced the inclusion of entertainers with dwarfism, calling it a “degrading and discriminatory” act.
The Spanish Ministry of Social Rights responded by requesting a formal investigation into potential violations of Spain’s General Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. That law prohibits entertainment that mocks or objectifies individuals with disabilities.
However, not everyone in attendance agreed with the public outcry. One unnamed performer interviewed on Spanish radio defended the event: “No one disrespected us; [they] let us work in peace… We are professional entertainers. Just because our physical condition is different does not mean we cannot perform on stage.”
The seven-word issue
In the midst of the criticism, Mounir Nasraoui identified what he sees as a core issue—a seven-word problem that he believes lies at the root of the backlash: “People don’t look at their own lives.”
“People, instead of looking at themselves, look at others in the distance, and then they will be dying of jealousy. This is their problem,” he said.
According to Nasraoui, much of the criticism is fueled not by genuine concern but by envy and an unhealthy obsession with tearing down young public figures. His frustration stems from the perception that society and the media are more invested in controversy than in celebrating success.
“We should be proud to have a national number 10 who represents his team and the greatness of his national team. That’s what we have to do, applaud him on and off the field, not destroy his mind.”
Legal and ethical debate continues
Despite Nasraoui’s passionate defense, the legal questions surrounding the party remain unresolved. The ADEE continues to pursue legal action, while the government’s disability watchdog maintains that the case warrants investigation under national law.
Still, Nasraoui insists his son is innocent of wrongdoing. “If he had done something wrong, I’d be the first as a father to tell him, grab him by the ears and say, ‘This isn’t done, son.’ But my son hasn’t done anything.”