Lamine Yamal: “If I Don’t Win the Ballon d’Or, I Would Give It to…”

The FC Barcelona forward does not hide his admiration for his elders. Speaking to RTVE, the 18-year-old prodigy revealed who he would like to see lift the Ballon d’Or in his place.

“Neymar and Messi. I’d give one to Ney, I think he deserves it,” explained Yamal, as reported by Barça Universal. “The Neymar from Barça or PSG at his peak would surely win it today. I would have liked him to win one. And of course Messi, because he’s the best of all time.”

Considered one of the frontrunners for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, Yamal could succeed his Argentine idol. But competition is fierce: Ousmane Dembélé, Raphinha, Kylian Mbappé, and Mohamed Salah are also among the contenders for the prestigious trophy.