Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has made a case for a broader interpretation of what it means to be the world’s best footballer. He believes the Ballon d’Or should not only recognise players with the most goals but also those whose style, creativity, and ability to entertain make them stand out. Yamal’s comments come as he continues his pursuit of the individual honour, having finished behind Ousmane Dembélé in last year’s voting.
Yamal is again among the leading contenders for the award, alongside Dembélé, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on October 26. This year’s contest is particularly interesting due to the number of players with strong claims to the award. Yamal noted that it’s fun to have more players in contention, more debate, and people having different opinions.
Yamal acknowledged that the final choice would ultimately be determined by journalists, who face a difficult task due to the quality of the candidates. He said, “At the end of the day, it comes down to the journalists. It’s a difficult job for them. We all have good arguments to win it. We are all great players, so let’s see.” The teenager argued that the history of the Ballon d’Or shows that the award has traditionally been associated with players capable of producing something special on the pitch.
According to Yamal, the Ballon d’Or is for the best player of the year, someone different, someone fans have enjoyed watching, who has that magic, makes them smile, and look forward to watching games just to see them play. He cited examples of past winners like Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho, players that make fans dream. Yamal’s own statistics include 24 goals last season, but he believes his case should not be judged on his goalscoring figures alone.
Yamal pointed to his playing style, his success with Barcelona, and his achievements with Spain as factors that distinguish him from the other contenders. He mentioned that on the pitch, he enjoys himself, and has been lucky enough to win a lot of trophies with Barcelona. Additionally, he won the World Cup with his national team. Yamal believes his way of playing is the strongest argument and what makes him different.
Despite his age, Yamal has already built an impressive collection of honours, including the European Championships and World Cup with Spain. The Champions League remains the major team trophy yet to be added to his list of achievements. While the Ballon d’Or is one of his ambitions, Yamal insisted that he is not consumed by the prospect of winning it. He said, “Yes, I dream of winning [the Ballon d’Or], but I always say that everyone has to aim as high as possible.”
Yamal’s broader ambition is to leave a lasting legacy in football rather than spend his career measuring himself against the sport’s greatest names. He wants to be remembered as Lamine Yamal, among the greats, and hopes to achieve this through his performances on the pitch. With his focus on making history and entertaining fans, Yamal is confident that he has the capacity to leave a lasting impact in the sport.
Key points
- Lamine Yamal argues that the Ballon d’Or should consider factors beyond just goalscoring.
- Yamal is among the leading contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or, alongside Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane.
- The winner of the Ballon d’Or will be announced at a ceremony in London on October 26.
