Nicki Nicole says she is "very in love" with Barcelona's Lamine Yamal

Nicki Nicole, the 25-year-old Argentine singer and rapper, said Thursday that she is "very in love" with Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal, the 18-year-old prodigy who has been the subject of intense media attention over the summer.

The comments came at the Desigual fashion show, where Nicole — whose full name is Nicole Denise Cucco — confirmed the relationship after weeks of speculation and brief reports that the pair had split. She said she was "very in love, very happy and very happy," and added that Yamal is teaching her Catalan. "I'm very happy, very happy in Barcelona, with a lot of affection from the people and I want to thank everyone," she said.

The romance first surfaced publicly in July when Nicole attended Yamal's lavish 18th birthday party. Spanish media outlets later reported controversy around the celebration, alleging that performers including dwarves and blonde escorts were hired. The couple appeared to go public in mid-August when they posed for a photograph together at Nicole's 25th birthday festivities. Spanish press later published claims that the pair had split 13 days after going public.

Yamal, however, appeared to make the relationship status clear in a dressing-room video shared by Barcelona team-mate Nico Williams while with Spain on international duty. Williams filmed Yamal smiling and showing a photograph of Nicole as his phone screensaver; Williams captioned the clip on social media "Mi chaval está in love," which translates as "My boy is in love." The video circulated widely online ahead of Nicole's remarks at the fashion show.

Nicole has attended Barcelona matches this summer, including an August appearance at Camp Nou when Yamal scored twice in a 5-0 win over Como. Yamal also featured for Spain in a 6-0 World Cup qualifying win over Turkey on the international calendar, further elevating public interest in his off-field life as his on-field profile rises.

Nicole has previously been linked in media reports to other footballers. In 2024 she was reported to have been romantically connected to Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández; Fernández later reconciled with long-term partner Valentina Cervantes. Some internet users earlier pointed to a December 2024 goal celebration by Fernández — a phone-call gesture — and linked it to Nicole's 2023 hit single "Llamame" ("Call Me"). Those connections were widely discussed online but have not been confirmed by the parties involved.

The Barcelona teenager's personal life has drawn continued scrutiny this year. Earlier this summer Yamal was photographed on holiday with Fati Vázquez, a flight attendant and content creator whose social media post included a lipstick mark on his cheek. That appearance prompted additional media attention amid the succession of public sightings with different companions.

Nicole's comments on Thursday underlined her intention to remain visible in Barcelona and to publicly back the relationship. She described the invitation to the fashion show as meaningful and said she was pleased to be among performers she admires. Both Nicole and Yamal have maintained largely private profiles off the field beyond select public appearances and social-media posts.

Barcelona and Spain have not issued statements about the relationship. Club and national-team officials typically decline to comment on players' private lives. The pair's public appearances and the dressing-room video suggest that, at least for now, the relationship is acknowledged by both parties and visible to fans and teammates.