Barcelona’s veteran Robert Lewandowski has encouraged Lamine Yamal to find balance in life and professional sport. The young Spaniard is currently one of the best players in the world and has hogged the limelight for his impressive game.

The 18-year-old is also one of the favorites to win the Ballon d’Or award in 2025. However, Yamal was criticized for reportedly hiring dwarfs as part of the entertainment in his gangster-themed 18th birthday party on July 13.

“Lamine is so young, he can enjoy the life,” Lewandowski told ESPN. “He has to enjoy the life because everything, not only in football, but outside of it, is in front of him. Of course, that will also be a tough moment for him, how to handle it, all things around him. For sure, that will be not easy but he has to also enjoy everything. Still in this age, you can, and probably in the future he cannot. You have to just find the balance.

“He is a very good guy. People doesn’t understand that we want to show something of who we are. He [Lamine] shows what he is. Of course, there will be a lot of speculation, a lot of talk about this.

“It depends how he handles this for the long term. I think the most important thing for him, and probably he will have to answer himself, is that it [media attention] will be too much in two, three, four years.”

Recently, Yamal signed a new contract with Barcelona until 2031. The Polish striker said Yamal is working hard on his game.

“He’s working hard,” the Poland international said. “But the part outside of football, the emotion that in one day on social media you are [up] here, and the next day you are on the ground. This means that also for your body, for your mind, for your head, it’s a huge pressure … He probably has to find the answer for this in the future.”

Barcelona will begin their La Liga campaign against Mallorca on Saturday.