Image: Lamine Yamal’s mural in Barcelona vandalised | OneFootball

A mural dedicated to Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has been defaced in what appears to be a deliberate act of vandalism.

The artwork, originally created by urban artist TV Boy in Plaza Joanic to celebrate Yamal’s 18th birthday, was unveiled in July and featured the young star portrayed as Superman with an ‘L’ on his chest in place of the usual ‘S’.

While concerns had previously been raised over alleged damage to the mural, those earlier images turned out to be AI-generated and not real.

However, this time the incident is genuine, as confirmed by journalist Edu Polo through his Instagram account.

Poking fun or direct aim?

In his Instagram Story, Edu Polo shared a fresh image of the mural showing that it has now been visibly altered.

Lamine Yamal’s mural has been vandalised. (Source: Instagram)

The image not only still shows Yamal in the Superman costume but also includes an illustration of the seven dwarves from the fairy tale Snow White.

This appears to be a pointed reference to the controversy surrounding Yamal’s birthday party, where dwarves were reportedly hired as part of the entertainment, an act that drew significant public criticism.

Polo made it clear in his post that this was not another hoax: “Some ‘joker’ has destroyed Lamine Yamal’s mural in Joanic… This time it’s not fake or an AI montage. I just took the photo,” he wrote.

The act has sparked fresh concern in Barcelona, not only because it involves one of the club’s brightest young stars but also because of the tasteless nature of the added imagery.

While TV Boy’s original piece was meant to celebrate Yamal’s rise and mark a significant milestone in his career, it has now been turned into a target for criticism and mockery.