Who is Lamine Yamal's girlfriend Nicki Nicole? Seven-year age gap, Ballon d'Or plans

Ballon d'Or nominee Lamine Yamal has drawn much attention for his performances in a Barcelona shirt since breaking onto the scene in 2023. However, the 18-year-old has also made headlines for his relationship with Argentine rapper Nicki Nicole, 25. The couple's seven-year age gap raised eyebrows when they went public earlier this year, shortly after Yamal declared that was happy as a single man.

As the Ballon d'Or ceremony looms on Monday evening, speculation is rife about whether Nicole will accompany the young football star, who has generated controversy in recent times. While it remains unconfirmed if Nicole will be present at the prestigious event, rumours have been fuelled by a recent Instagram post of a bouquet of yellow and white flowers, reportedly a gift from Yamal, sparking chatter about her potential attendance.

Despite appearing to be going strong, with a photo together from Nicole's 25th birthday celebrations, whispers of a break up emerged just 13 days after their relationship became public. Prior to Nicole, Yamal had been linked to a 29-year-old influencer.

In a dramatic turn of events, Yamal wiped all traces of Nicole from his Instagram and changed his profile picture to an all-black circle, hinting at a significant occurrence. However, it appears the pair have rekindled their romance, with Nicole addressing her thoughts on her teenage boyfriend on September 10.

Speaking at the Desigual fashion show, she said: "I am very in love, very happy and very happy. I am very happy, very happy in Barcelona, with a lot of affection from the people and I want to thank everyone."

The rapper, whose real name is Nicole Denise Cucco, also revealed that Yamal was tutoring her in Catalan. She has been previously romantically connected to Chelsea's Argentinian midfielder Enzo Fernandez in 2024 and, whilst attracting headlines for her romantic endeavours, she is establishing herself as a prominent figure in Latin trap music and has received a Latin Grammy nomination.

Beyond Yamal's romantic affairs, football fans are now keenly anticipating who will claim the 2025 Ballon d'Or. Yamal surpassed Kylian Mbappe's record to become the youngest-ever candidate for the Ballon d'Or in 2024.

Nevertheless, should the Spanish sensation triumph on Monday he would become the youngest-ever winner of the accolade, with Brazilian legend Ronaldo, who claimed it in 1997 aged 21, presently holding that distinction.

Yamal has already secured two La Liga titles and the Copa del Rey with the Catalan club. Internationally, he claimed the European Championships in 2024, contributing to victory over England in the final.

The Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. Leading candidates include Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha. Yamal's Barcelona teammate, Raphinha, is also amongst the contenders.

However, Dembele is believed to be the front-runner following a stellar season under Luis Enrique in Paris. Barcelona icon Ronaldinho will hand over the trophy to the victor, with Yamal set to journey with a 20-person delegation. It's still uncertain whether Nicole will accompany him.