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Barcelona star forward Raphinha has removed curtains on teammate Lamine Yamal's private life, addressing rumors that the teenager has an obsession when it comes to partying.
Raphinha makes big claims on Lamine Yamal
Yamal has often grabbed negative comments for his life off the pitch. The 18-year-old's life away from the football field has occasionally come under criticism, with reports linking him to frequent partying and having romantic relationships with older women.
In a recent interview, Raphinha disclosed that Yamal tends to feel sleepy in the morning because he is always on his phone late at night. He also said that Lamine Yamal enjoys going to parties.
“Lamine is always on the phone,” Raphinha told Sofascore. “Always on TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, and music, and he puts headphones in his ears. In the morning, he’s always sleepy because I think he sleeps late. When there’s a party or something the team does, he’s the one who enjoys it the most. He represents. And when it comes to organising, he knows how to throw a party. I wouldn’t say he’s always late because he’s managing to control that, but almost always.
He added:
“So there was an “almost” missing here… obsessed with his hair. These days I would say he’s much more obsessed with his hair than before. He spends hours before matches, before training, fixing his hair. And the so-called king of the nutmeg.”
Yamal turned 18 in July 2025, with his birthday bash one for the books, as it was off to an early start with an intimate celebration involving 200 guests on the glitzy island of Ibiza.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick reflects on Lamine Yamal's growth
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick said he has been happy with Yamal's growth and the young winger's performances in recent times. Yamal came through the ranks at Barcelona and has cemented his status as a regular since he was promoted to the senior team in 2023.
After a great 2024/25 season, Yamal got a nomination for the Ballon d'Or but finished second in the rankings. He has, however, not allowed the setback to have a negative impact on him, as he has been in red-hot form this season, recording 27 goal contributions in 29 outings across all competitions.
Speaking in a press conference ahead of Barcelona's league clash against RCD Mallorca, Flock spoke glowingly of Yamal, saying:
“I'm really happy with him, with his growth. The most important thing for players like him is that he's happy. He's focused, and the way he's playing, providing assists, scoring goals... he's in great form and will bring us a lot of joy in the coming years,” said Flick.
On how Yamal has improved, the German coach added:
“It's necessary to grow and give your best every day to win titles. Right now he's in form and that's good. He's very intelligent, both on and off the field. He's very good off the field too. When he trains at 100% and gives 100% on the field, he knows it. We help him with other things.”
Ahead of Saturday's game, Barcelona sit atop the LaLiga table, one point ahead of their arch rivals, Real Madrid.
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