Lamine Yamal has broken his silence on his 18th birthday party scandal, as Barcelona handed their iconic No10 shirt to the Spaniard, previously worn by Lionel Messi.
While the Spanish government is demanding an investigation into the teenager's controversial 18th birthday party, Yamal was presented with the shirt at the Nou Camp stadium shop and expressed his childhood ambitions and addressed recent controversies.
"When I was a child, my dream was to debut for Barca, to grow up and play with the No 10," he said. "Every kid born in Barcelona dreams of that. Messi has made his way, and I'm going to make mine."
The 18-year-old appeared to reference recent events, stating: "I'm a bit indifferent to both criticism and praise if it doesn't come from my family or friends. Right now, I'm very focused on football."
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|Barcelona confirmed Lamine Yamal will take the legendary No10 shirt after he signed a new contract with the club
He added: "Ultimately, I work for Barca and I play for Barca, but when I'm away from Ciudad Deportiva, I enjoy my life, and that's it."
The decision to award Yamal the No10 was carefully orchestrated between the player and Barcelona, with both parties agreeing on the timing.
Yamal had requested not to receive the shirt whilst Ansu Fati remained at the club, given their close relationship dating back to La Masia.
Following Fati's loan move to Monaco on July 1, the Yamal camp then asked Barcelona to delay the announcement until after his 18th birthday.
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|Winger Ansu Fati previously held the number before his move to Monaco this summer
The formal contract signing ceremony took place alongside the shirt presentation, though the deal until 2031 had been announced in May.
The signing was postponed until he turned 18 so all family members could attend, including his grandma, who Yamal heartwarmingly walked into the room.
"Barça is my life, it's my home. I've been here since I was seven," Yamal told club media after signing
The announcement comes amid allegations that people with dwarfism were hired as entertainment at the "mafia-themed" celebration, whilst women with "specific breast measurements were paid to attend", according to claims made on Spanish television.
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The Association of People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias with Dwarfism has threatened legal action against the Barcelona star, condemning the alleged hiring of people with dwarfism as entertainment.
Spain's General Director of Disability, Jesus Martín, has called for ministers to approve an investigation, with the footballer potentially facing fines of up to £867,000.
The party, attended by approximately 200 guests including Barcelona teammates Gavi and Alejandro Balde, featured a mafia theme with Yamal dressed in a white suit, sunglasses and carrying a cane.
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Spanish model Claudio Calvo, Miss Teenager Spain 2021, claimed on television programme Tardear TV that organisers sought to hire 12 blonde women with specific breast sizes for fees between €10,000 and €20,000.
She alleged the women would need to be available for 24 hours without knowing the event location, claiming she withdrew after receiving the list of demands.
An anonymous caller to Spanish radio station RAC1, claiming to be one of the entertainers, defended the event: "No one disrespected us, let us work in peace. We work as entertainers. Why can't we do it? Because of our physical conditions?"
Despite the controversy, and Barcelona expressing their concerns over Yamal's 'idol' Neymar who is known for his partying reputation, the Catalan club are insistent the time is right for the 18-year-old to sport the shirt etched in footballing history.
The No10 shirt carries extraordinary weight at Barcelona, having been worn by Diego Maradona, Romario, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho before Messi's 13-year tenure.
The Argentine made his debut aged 17 in October 2004, wearing numbers 30 and 19 before inheriting the 10 from Ronaldinho in 2008 aged 21, after 110 appearances.
Similarly, Yamal debuted at just 15 years and 290 days, becoming Barcelona's youngest La Liga player, and has already made 106 appearances with approximately 200 more minutes than Messi had at the same stage.
Unlike Fati, who received the shirt after just 31 league games before injuries derailed his career, Yamal has already won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Euros.