Lamine Yamal Gives Strong Opinion on 2025 Ballon d'Or Race
Lamine Yamal Gives Strong Opinion on 2025 Ballon d'Or Race originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024-25 season has ended, and now many soccer fans wonder who is leading the race to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award this September. Lamine Yamal had a brilliant season with FC Barcelona and is one of the frontrunners for the award.
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Yamal is considered one of the best players in the world, but the teenager has a tough competitor in Ousmane Dembele, who won the Champions League with PSG and the treble with the French club.
In an interview with Partidazo de COPE, Yamal was asked about the Ballon d'Or race and commented on the idea that the award could be decided on Thursday's game between Spain and France in the UEFA Nations League semifinal.
Lamine Yamal: "I am confident that we [Spain] will win on Thursday, but whether we win or not, I would still vote for the best player in the world. If Thursday doesn't go the way I want or Dembele wants, then what? You're voting for someone else who plays on Sunday? I'm the kind of person who votes for the best player over the whole year. But if people want to risk it all on one game, well… we can play that game then."
Lamine Yamal on the Ballon d'Or award
The teenager has amazed many throughout the season, mostly due to his young age at a big club like FC Barcelona. Despite being favored as one of the best players in the world, Yamal admits that he doesn't play to win the Ballon d'Or award.
Yamal has mentioned in the past that his trickery and skills are due to his enjoyment of playing on the pitch. He assures that thinking about winning the prestigious award will only hinder his ability on the pitch.
Lamine Yamal: "No, honestly, I don't think about the award. I don't think about whether I'll win or not, because I believe thinking that way could hurt me. I just focus on playing, on winning — the rest will follow. That's why I believe the most important thing is to enjoy playing — the award will come when the time is right.'
Yamal picks his teammate over him
Yamal was asked to pick the best players of the past Champions League season. He named Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG) as the best goalkeeper and Willian Pacho (PSG) as the best defender.
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He named Pedri and Vitinha (PSG) as the best midfielders of the Champions League, and when he was asked about the best attacker of the competition, he didn't pick himself.
Yamal picked his teammate Raphinha as the best attacker of the tournament. Raphinha finished the Champions League season with 13 goals and eight assists in 14 matches. Both Barcelona players were named in the 2024-25 Champions League Team of the Season.
The Champions League named Ousmane Dembele as the player of the season after the final this past weekend. They also named Desire Doue as the best young player of the Champions League this season.
Related: PSG Captain Sends Special Message for Neymar after Champions League Win
Related: Desire Doue's Historic Champions League Final Goal Overtakes a Lionel Messi Record
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
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