What was supposed to be a night that cemented Lamine Yamal’s place as one of football’s brightest young stars turned into a nightmare at the Santiago Bernabéu, as he endured a flood of mockery and criticism following Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid 🏟️.

The 18-year-old, once hailed as “Catalonia’s jewel,” touched the ball only 16 times, lost it 8 times, failed to register a single shot on target, and didn’t create any real chances  numbers Spanish media described as “the worst performance of his career so far.”

Yet, what truly caught the internet’s attention wasn’t the stats  it was his relationship with Argentine singer Nicki Nicole 🎤, which many fans blamed for his sudden dip in form.

Social media was flooded with jokes like:
“Nicki stole his heart and his game!”
“From future superstar to distracted lover!”

Adding to the drama, Yamal’s father posted on Instagram after the match:
“Luckily, he’s only 18… see you back in Barcelona,”  a clear attempt to calm the angry fans.

Nicki Nicole, born in 2000 in Rosario, Argentina, is a Latin Grammy–nominated singer who’s recently been seen with Yamal at several public events. The two confirmed their relationship on Instagram during her 25th birthday celebration 🎂.

Since then, however, Yamal’s form has declined sharply, going five straight matches without a goal for club or country, and missing games due to minor injuries.

The defeat to Real Madrid wasn’t just painful because of the score  it was a warning sign for a player seemingly caught between love, fame, and football pressure 💔⚽.

Now, all eyes in Barcelona are asking the same question:
Can Yamal rediscover his spark 💫  or will he keep drowning in the whirlwind of fame and romance?