Lamine Yamal defends his Ballon d'Or bid: 'People ask for things they don't really want'

Lamine Yamal is not hiding. The Barcelona winger has once again pushed his case for the Ballon d'Or and responded firmly to those who question him speaking openly about the award. In an interview with Teledeporte, the Spain international said he has more arguments this season than last year and made it clear that the World Cup could play a major role in the final decision.

• Lamine Yamal believes he has a stronger Ballon d'Or case this year than last season.
• He points to the World Cup with Spain as a key factor that was missing last year.
• He defends his playing style as something that should matter in the award and will not change how he expresses himself.
• He names Pau Cubarsí as his choice for the best young player prize.

Why Lamine Yamal feels closer to the Ballon d'Or than in 2024

The Barcelona player is convinced that his situation has changed compared to a year ago. Back then he came up just short, finishing behind Ousmane Dembélé, and he believes the big difference now lies in the international calendar. Last season he could not win the Champions League, a trophy that ended up in the hands of PSG, and that absence weighed heavily on his final push.

This season, however, the World Cup appears on the horizon. For Yamal, competing for the title with Spain could be the decisive edge. His reasoning is direct: he has more chances than in 2024 and the World Cup is the major card that was not on the table during the previous campaign.

I have more chances than last year. I was missing the Champions League, which PSG won, but this year we have the World Cup.

Lamine Yamal and his football philosophy: a style that should count

Beyond trophies, the Barcelona winger argues that his way of playing should carry real weight when it comes to choosing the winner. For him, the Ballon d'Or should also recognise footballers who make a difference on the pitch and connect with fans in an unusual way.

He makes no secret of the fact that his biggest reference has always been Neymar. The Brazilian represented exactly the type of player he loved to watch: imaginative, fearless and able to turn every action into a spectacle. That philosophy, he says, is the one he tries to apply every time he steps onto the pitch.

In European football there are very few players who play the way I do and make people enjoy the game like this. My reference was Neymar for that reason.

How Lamine Yamal responds to criticism over Ballon d'Or talk

The Barcelona forward accepts that his comments create noise. Every time he talks about the award, voices appear criticising him for doing it so naturally. Even so, he has no intention of changing his message or softening his words to please anyone.

His position is clear: for years people have asked footballers to be honest and say what they think, but as soon as they do, the criticism arrives. He refuses to play that game. He will stay true to himself and keep giving his opinion no matter how much noise it generates around him.

They ask footballers to be honest, then I say what I think… and they say 'how can he say that'. People ask for things they don't really want.

Pau Cubarsí, Lamine Yamal's pick for the young Ballon d'Or

Although he defends his own case for the main award, Lamine Yamal has no doubts when asked about the prize for the best young player. His choice is clear and has a name: Pau Cubarsí.

The Barcelona centre-back, his teammate at both club and international level, is for Yamal the standout candidate for that recognition. It is a gesture that underlines the strong connection between two of the biggest young breakthroughs in Spanish football in recent years and confirms the confidence inside the Barcelona dressing room in their young defender's potential.