Ballon d’Or 2025 : Yamal was left out because of his age, according to Javier Tebas

La Liga president Javier Tebas believes Lamine Yamal did not win the 2025 Ballon d’Or because of his youth. A finalist at just 18, the FC Barcelona winger ultimately saw Ousmane Dembélé, crowned with Paris Saint-Germain, prevail Monday night in Paris.

Yamal, already the winner of the Kopa Trophy last year, was once again honored as the world’s best young player. “If he had been over 23, he would have won it too, I’m sure. But because he’s younger, they gave him the other one”, Tebas said.

For his part, Joan Laporta, president of Barça, acknowledged that Dembélé’s triumph was primarily due to PSG’s Champions League victory.