Lamine Yamal’s father steps in to defend Barcelona star amid party controversy – ‘We should applaud him’ | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal has been in the spotlight recently, not just for his talent on the pitch, but also because of controversy surrounding a private birthday party.

Now, his father, Mounir Nasraoui, has stepped in to defend his son, urging the public to show more understanding.

Speaking to Europa Press (h/t SPORT), Nasraoui made it clear that the criticism aimed at the Barcelona wonderkid is unfair and excessive.

“People need to respect an 18-year-old boy,” Nasraoui said. He pointed out that Lamine is still learning, growing, and trying to balance the life of a professional footballer with that of a normal teenager.

“He’s just a kid who has the right to enjoy his life a little,” he explained. “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.”

Nasraoui highlighted that despite the media noise, his son remains focused. “I don’t listen to criticism from people outside. I listen to my own, and my opinion is that my son is doing things right,” he said.

Lamine Yamal has faced criticism. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

He also pointed out that much of the negativity comes from jealousy. “People don’t look at their own lives, they look at what others are doing and they’re going to die of envy. That’s their problem,” he added.

There is more

Lamine Yamal’s father didn’t stop there. He went on to stress how rare it is to see a player of his son’s calibre at such a young age. “I have never seen a national player like Lamine. We should be proud of him,” Nasraoui stated passionately.

He also questioned why people are so quick to criticise instead of supporting a young talent representing both Barcelona and Spain.

“He’s the number 10 for his club and his country. We should applaud him, not destroy his mind,” he said.

For now, Yamal continues to focus on his football, while his father hopes that both fans and the media will give his son the time and space he needs to grow, both as a player and as a person.