“Unfortunately these things happen” - Barcelona legend Rivaldo breaks silence on controversy around Lamine Yamal and his birthday party

Barcelona legend Rivaldo has shared his thoughts on the controversy surrounding Lamine Yamal's birthday party. The 18-year-old reportedly had a lavish birthday party earlier this month and also allegedly hired people with dwarfism for entertainment.

As per the BBC, the Association of People with Achondroplasia and other Skeletal Dysplasias in Spain has filed a complaint against Yamal as well. It has led to widespread criticism of the Barcelona star. However, Rivaldo has defended the Spanish winger, saying (via Barca Universal):

“Lamine is a boy who has a well-furnished head, is intelligent and is aware of the moment he is living. But, unfortunately, these things happen, especially when you are so young and already so famous. Any attitude ends up having a greater impact due to age and media exposure.”

Rivaldo also asserted that everyone should focus on Lamine Yamal's performances on the pitch, adding:

“Those of us who love football want him to continue to shine, to play well and not to get into controversies that could harm his career. What we want to talk about is what he does on the pitch, which is wonderful.

“So, hopefully there won’t be any more rumours, because that’s annoying, it’s sad. We just want to see him shine with the ball at his feet. We hope that he reflects on everything he has built so far, to avoid this type of situation. He deserves to only be spoken of well, for the football he offers."

Lamine Yamal has already become a key player for Barcelona and Spain at such a young age and has helped them win multiple trophies.

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Former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola weighs in on Lamine Yamal's comparison to Lionel Messi

Lamine Yamal's incredible rise and his playing style at Barcelona have seen him often being compared to Lionel Messi. The former made his senior debut at just 15 and has been excellent for the Catalan giants. Meanwhile, many regard Messi as the best football player of all time.

Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, achieved a lot of success at Barcelona with Lionel Messi as his talisman. He recently spoke about the comparisons between the Argentine and Yamal and told GQ:

“I think Lamine Yamal should be allowed to develop his career. And when he's been playing for 15 years, we'll decide if he's better or worse.

“Let him develop his career. And the fact that he's being compared to Messi is a big deal. Like if you compare a painter to Van Gogh, they'll say, wow, he's not bad, it's a sign he's good. And that comparison is a sign he's good. But we have to let him develop his career. And we'll see.”

Yamal has scored 25 goals and provided 34 assists in 106 senior games for Barcelona so far. He helped them win the domestic treble last season.