Lamine Yamal has no doubts about his candidacy for the Ballon d’Or. The Barcelona winger assured that he considers himself deserving of the award for the titles won this season and placed himself, along with Kylian Mbappé, at the top of world football. “I believe the best in the world are maybe two. And this year I would deserve it for what I have won. For me, the best in the world are me and Mbappé. For me it is very clear and everyone who watches the matches knows it,” says the Spanish international in a preview of the interview that will be broadcast this Friday on the program Universo Valdano, on Movistar Plus+.
The Ballon d’Or will be awarded next October 26 in London and the Barcelona player supports his candidacy in a season marked by collective successes. Among them, the World Cup won with the Spanish national team and the League title achieved with Barcelona.
Lamine Yamal’s words come just days after Mbappé also defended his chances for the award. In an interview granted to the French newspaper L’Équipe, the Real Madrid forward assured that “there has not been a better player” than him during the season and claimed his goal-scoring figures in the major competitions.
The debate about the Spanish player’s candidacy has gained strength within Barcelona in recent weeks. Both the president, Joan Laporta, and the sporting director, Deco, have publicly expressed their support for the young footballer as a candidate for the highest individual recognition.
Despite having lifted the World Cup, Yamal admits that he was not fully satisfied with his performance in the tournament. “I was not happy with myself, because I know that another player with my level would have had a great World Cup, but I could have done more,” he points out. The forward considers that part of his contribution went unnoticed by the general public, although he highlights the work he did to create spaces and attract opponents.
Self-criticism coexists with an ambition that the footballer does not hide. At only 19 years old and after already accumulating several top-level titles, he rejects the idea that he can relax because of the successes achieved. “I have a thousand things to do,” he maintains, referring to how to leave his name in football history.
Lamine Yamal compares himself with some of the great figures of the sport. He mentions Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Diego Armando Maradona as historical references and also recalls the case of Pelé. “I think never before has so much been won so early. There is the case of Pelé, who had won a lot, but recently there has not been another case,” he concludes.
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