It has been a week of celebrations with a touch of unusual entertainment for Lamine Yamal, who is facing criticism in Spain for hiring entertainers with dwarfism for his 18th birthday party.
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The story
It's been a memorable week for Spanish wonderkid Lamine Yamal, who turned 18 and placed his name among FC Barcelona's icons.
Just days after turning 18, Lamine Yamal received the most special gift of all – Barcelona's iconic number 10 shirt.
Following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Ronaldinho, among other Barca icons, Yamal will be donning the famous number 10 from next season onwards, with his new digits being confirmed along with a contract extension.
Yamal has certified his spot as the club's most exciting attacking talent, having made over 100 appearances for the club, scoring 25 goals, and winning two LaLiga titles since his debut, aged 15 in 2023.
The teenage sensation, who won the UEFA Euro 2024 with Spain a day after his 17th birthday, is also under fire for his behaviour at his recent 18th birthday party.
As reported by the BBC and other European media outlets, Spain's Ministry of Social Rights has requested the country's prosecutor's office to investigate Yamal after he allegedly hired entertainers with dwarfism for his star-studded celebrations.
Yamal hosted the party on Sunday at a rented venue in Olivella, a small town located 50 kilometres north of Barcelona.
Guests included Spanish YouTubers, social media influencers, and reportedly, several of his Barcelona teammates.
It has been reported that Yamal employed a group of entertainers with dwarfism, which the Association of People with Achondroplasia and other Skeletal Dysplasias in Spain (ADEE) has condemned as "unacceptable in the 21st century," as reported by Sky Sports.
Meanwhile, a Spanish radio station, RAC1, broadcast an interview with someone claiming to be one of the entertainers who performed at Yamal's party. "No one disrespected us, we worked in peace," said the artist, defending Yamal.
"I don't understand why there's so much hype. We're normal people who do what we want, in a legal way. We work as entertainers. Why can't we do it? Because of our physical condition?
"We know what our limit is and we will never exceed it: we are not fairground monkeys," concluded the entertainer, who is anonymous, as quoted by the aforementioned publications.
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