Inside the €40,000-a-night mansion where Lamine Yamal held his controversial 18th birthday party

On 13 July, Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal turned 18 and marked the occasion in style with a party that not only went viral on social media but has also sparked political and social debate across Spain. The young FC Barcelona footballer rented a spectacular mansion in the town of Olivella, right in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park and just minutes from Sitges. The property is managed by Sitges Hills Villas, a company specialising in luxury properties, and the cost of hiring it for a party like the one he organised is around €40,000 per night. However, under normal circumstances, the nightly rate is around €6,500.

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The villa is, quite literally, a private paradise. Set on a plot of over 40,000 square metres and completely surrounded by nature, it offers absolute privacy and complete seclusion from prying eyes. The main house has eleven double bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, some of which are as large as 120 square metres, including a magazine-worthy master suite.

It also features a 24-metre infinity pool, perfect for outdoor celebrations, surrounded by chill-out areas with Balinese beds, sun loungers, and an outdoor bar service. Inside, the house combines traditional Catalan rustic style with luxury finishes: high ceilings with wooden beams, natural stone floors, designer furniture, and a fully equipped industrial kitchen.

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But it is not just about comfort and aesthetics: the estate is self-sufficient thanks to its solar panels, has its own water well, an organic vegetable garden, a gym, a spa, a private cinema, and space to park up to 50 vehicles. There is also a separate house for staff and a state-of-the-art security system, with thermal cameras, drone surveillance, and restricted road access. It is a place designed for luxury, discretion, and, in this case, a celebration without limits.

According to the digital lifestyle magazine Vanitatis, Yamal chose an “Italian mafia” theme for the party, and all the guests – over 200 friends, artists, influencers and footballers – dressed in black or white to match the style. Players such as Lewandowski, Gavi and Raphinha were there, along with musicians including Bizarrap, Quevedo, Bad Gyal, Lola Indigo and Chimbala, and popular streamers such as TheGrefg and Ibai Llanos. The party featured live performances, a cocktail bar area, gourmet catering, and a cake decorated with chocolate pistols and wads of banknotes.

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However, what was meant to be a private and glamorous celebration ended up turning into a scandal of national proportions. The Association of People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias (ADEE) publicly condemned the presence of people with dwarfism who had been hired as part of the “entertainment”, describing it as a degrading practice that belongs to a bygone era.

According to the association, this breaches the disability law in force since 2022, which prohibits shows that ridicule or use people with disabilities as a form of entertainment. The institutional response was swift: the Ministry of Social Rights requested that the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Ombudsman, and the Hate Crimes Office investigate the incident. If it is found that a serious offence has been committed, the fine could range from €600,000 to €1 million, according to PrensaLibre.

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The controversy over the use of people with dwarfism was soon followed by another issue: the presence of “promotional girls” selected through a casting process. Some attendees, such as model Claudia Calvo, told Infobae that up to €20,000 was paid for their participation, with the selection based purely on aesthetic criteria. Social media erupted with criticism over the objectification, elitism and ostentation surrounding the event.

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After a few days of silence, Lamine Yamal himself posted a one-minute video on his Instagram account, showing him enjoying the party, dancing, greeting his guests, and posing with his family. He accompanied the video with a brief message: “Just one minute, enjoy it.” Although he made no reference to the accusations or the potential legal consequences, many interpreted the gesture as a way of downplaying the controversy.

Far from calming the waters, the post was followed by yet more criticism: in one of the later videos, he was seen driving a car without wearing a seatbelt. A minor detail compared to the rest of the controversy, but for many, it only served to reinforce the image of a young man overwhelmed by fame and wealth, as reported by various media outlets specialising in social news.