Former Real Madrid midfielder Alvaro Benito has voiced strong disapproval of the extravagant manner in which Barcelona star Lamine Yamal celebrated his 18th birthday.
Yamal, who has Equatorial Guinean and Moroccan heritage, marked the milestone on July 13 with a party that has stirred widespread debate in Spain.
His celebration drew further controversy after reports emerged that the teenager had hired dwarfs as part of the entertainment, prompting criticism from advocacy groups and the threat of legal action.
Speaking on El Larguero, Benito, who played for Real Madrid in the late 1990s, reflected on how drastically things have changed for young footballers.
“Times have changed a lot. I debuted with the first team at 18… and boy, have times changed,” he said. “You didn’t have this exposure on social media or the desire to do so. We grew up in a society where exposing yourself wasn’t ideal.”
Benito added that young players today face an overwhelming level of public scrutiny and pressure, particularly with the advent of social media.
“At 18, you’re not prepared for everything you have to take on… You’re not prepared, and you have to be held down by the people around you.”
Lamine Yamal, widely regarded as one of the brightest talents to emerge from Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy in recent years, has enjoyed a breakout year both at club level and with the Spanish national team.
However, this incident marks one of the first major public controversies of his young career. Barcelona are yet to issue a formal statement on the matter.
