According to the host of the Catalan radio program "Què t'hi jugues", Yamal's celebration of "wearing" a crown after scoring a goal was for his ex-girlfriend, with whom he broke up last week, and not out of arrogance.
Although the gesture has been used by other athletes, including NBA star LeBron James, it has become Yamal's signature move. However, after scoring against Elche, he did something different—angrily kissing and biting the team crest on his jersey, perhaps reaffirming his commitment to the club after a difficult period.
Some welcomed his change, finding it somewhat arrogant for an 18-year-old to do so; others interpreted it as part of his engagement with the social media world, seeking a viral effect.
In any case, the Catalan radio program "Què t'hi jugues" suggested that his decision to stop using the crown celebration might be related to his breakup with Argentine singer, announced last week.
"Why he stopped doing it, I don't know. I only know that he first did it when he met Nicki Nicole," noted guest Santi Ovalle. "Coincidentally, he had just ended the relationship and stopped doing the crown gesture in his first game." This was something the program "discovered after making a few phone calls."
Through this information, they attempted to quell outside speculation and refute claims that the celebration was due to being blinded by success.
“Some said he was arrogant, conceited, and thought he was the king of the world, wearing the crown symbolizing his royalty… It turns out he did it to dedicate the goal to Nicki Nicole. Now he's broken up with her, and yesterday he kissed the Barcelona crest without wearing the crown,” concluded host Sidney Rodriguez, reflecting on the frequent occurrence of discussions without sufficient information.