Julius OkorieBarcelona’s teenage Sensation Lamine Yamal is in full celebration mood after finally linking up with his Idol Neymar in Brazil.
Yamal had previously been full of praise for Neymar, who is now plying his trade back with Santos in his homeland after a brief spell in Saudi Arabia.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Barcelona wonderkid said of the 33 year-old – who also previously played for the Catalan side: ‘Neymar has always been my idol. He’s a star, a football legend. It thus became fait accompli when he was eventualy invited to his idol’s home.
The duo have visited Neymar’s home in Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, with a number of videos shared to social media.
The duo can be seen playing volleyball in the clips, as well as swimming and exchanging shirts, while Yamal also frequented an ice cream shop.
It marks the next step of what has been a busy off-season for Yamal.Spanish magazine Lecturas published photos of Yamal, 17, on holiday with Spanish flight attendant and social media influencer Fati Vazquez, who is 29 years old. The Magazine showed the pair on a jet ski together on the island of Pantelleria in the south of Sicily.
It followed Yamal and Vazquez posting photos from the same location in recent days, with the pair enjoying a life of luxury that has included going on a boat trip, relaxing by a pool and flying in a helicopter.
Lecturas wrote that the pair ‘don’t want to put a name to their obvious friendship’, but said they ‘get along perfectly’.
‘Their closeness is such that they didn’t hesitate to go on vacation at a key moment,; they added. ‘They wanted to get away from it all and celebrate the season’s many successes.’
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The report claimed there is a ‘clear connection between them’ and ‘the age difference is not an obstacle to their understanding’.
Yamal, however, has denied that they are a couple after speaking with gossip expert Javi de Hoyos.
De Hoyos claims ‘he’s been able to speak to Yamal, and he categorically denies that he’s with Vazquez; he says they have nothing going on.
Vazquez has also spoken out about the backlash she has received, while stating she is 29 years old, after initially being reported as 30.
The influencer said that she has received death threats following the photos of her with Yamal, while stating they are ‘two people who want to have a good time’.
‘I’m getting really p****d off, people are even wishing me dead because of it,’ Vazquez told Spanish television show La familia de la tele.’I’m receiving death threats and messages calling me a paedophile.
‘First, I’m 29, I haven’t made it to the thirties yet. I haven’t done anything, haven’t killed anyone. The reactions are just too heavy and it’s even affecting him [Lamine].
‘I don’t want to say anything more or make a big deal out of it or make it morbid, because I think it’s completely unnecessary.
‘We’re just two people who want to have a good time, and that’s it.’
Vazquez shared another post on Instagram, responding to critics, of her in a swimming pool in Italy, with the caption ‘Imagine talking bad about me and I’m over here like this.’
Yamal put that behind him this week as he jetted off to Brazil. In one Instagram video, he was seen sat shirtless in the front of a golf buggy, looking back as he donned a yellow cap.
A photo was shared with Neymar also in the cart, with three others leaning in from the back of the vehicle.
Another featured a compilation of Neymar and Yamal swimming, as they shared an embrace and partied around a pool, with Neymar jumping in.
Neymar’s Santos future is unclear, with the forward’s contract up soon and a decision expected shortly.
The Brasileiro Serie A, meanwhile, had been put on hold for the Club World Cup to take place, with Fluminense, Flamengo, Palmeiras and Botafogo all taking part.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
