Chelsea defender Valentin Barco has been slammed for bringing the Pink Pony Club to life for his young daughter
Chelsea star Valentin Barco has left football fans stunned by creating his very own Pink Pony Club.
The Argentinian probably didn’t make his momma proud when he debuted his new pet animal’s look, which featured it sporting an eye-catching bright pink fringe and tail. The 22-year-old recently signed for Xabi Alonso’s Blues from Strasbourg for around £34million.
It came after he was involved in a high-profile spat with Jude Bellingham in England’s defeat to Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals this summer. The previously in-demand left-back has now come in for major criticism for colouring the hair of the pony.
JOIN US ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page
Whether Barco is a huge Chappell Roan fan is unclear but he gifted his daughter, Gemma, the animal for her first birthday, leaving fans pleading, God, what have you done? The former Boca Juniors star revealed the pony’s name with a video on social media.
Alongside his wife, Yazmin Jaureguy, he introduced Gemma to the pony, whose fringe and tail were dyed pink. He captioned it: “Welcome, Maca! We love you, sweetheart.” The comments were predictably savage.
One said: “Please, dye your own hair pink; say no to animal abuse, ridiculous.” Another added: “Do you think it’s right to dye an animal?” A third simply said: “How awful.”
Some fans were enamoured by the stunt. One admirer said: “Beautiful,” while another posted: “Oh God, I love them, they’re so sweet.”
Yazmin was later forced to address the situation on social media, alongside a video explaining that the animal’s hair had been dyed to resemble Valentin himself and that it washed out easily with water.
“They took the words right out of my mouth,” she said. “One, it was a gift – obviously, I didn’t ask for it to come looking like that. Two, it’s non-toxic, washable and safe for animals. Three, Maca chose that shade.”
It appears Barco will no longer keep dancing at the Pink Pony Club after Yaz shared a photo of the animal, now with the dye washed out and back in its original colouring. A heart emoji was included to show that no harm was done.
Barco and his family have just relocated from France to England following the player’s move to Stamford Bridge. The couple met in late 2023 at a fashion show.
Barco had been invited by a friend who was showcasing a clothing collection, while Yaz, a model, was there as part of her professional career.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.