If not him, then Messi or Neymar
Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal has revealed the two players he’d hand the Ballon d’Or to—if he doesn’t win it himself: Lionel Messi and Neymar.
The 18-year-old rising star didn’t hesitate when asked in a recent interview with RTVE. He said Neymar deserves a Ballon d’Or for his prime years, and, unsurprisingly, called Messi the greatest of all time.
“Neymar and Messi. I would give one to ‘Ney’, I think he deserves it,” Yamal said.
“The ‘Ney’ who was playing for Barça or Paris at the time would definitely win it now. I would’ve liked him to have won one. And obviously, Messi because he is the best ever.”
Yamal is in the 2025 Ballon d’Or conversation
After a standout season and impressive performances with Spain, Yamal is already being tipped as a top contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
He’ll be up against big names like Kylian Mbappé, Mohamed Salah, Ousmane Dembélé, and his Barça teammate Raphinha.
