FC Barcelona’s sensational 18-year-old star, Lamine Yamal, is making waves as a top contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, with an outpouring of support from football’s biggest names.
The young prodigy’s remarkable performances during the 2024-25 season, where Barcelona clinched all major domestic titles under Hansi Flick, have positioned him as a frontrunner for the prestigious award, set to be announced on September 22, 2025.
As Mundo Deportivo reports, the tight race will hinge on Yamal’s individual brilliance versus Dembélé’s trophy-laden season with PSG.
Yamal’s dazzling displays have earned him praise from legends across European football. Lothar Matthäus declared, “If I were to vote, I’d give it to Lamine because we all love him so much.”
Ruud Gullit emphasized Yamal’s unique flair, stating, “What we saw from Lamine was incredible: he has a little bit more.”
Similarly, Marco van Basten called him “the best of the 2024-25 season,” while Zinedine Zidane marveled, “What he did in Milan at that age, I had never seen in my life.”
Ronaldinho went further, predicting Yamal “can make history, not once, but several times.”
The endorsements don’t stop there. Fabio Capello, Rio Ferdinand, and Gary Lineker are among those who see Yamal as the next big thing, with Lineker boldly claiming, “He’ll be the next big thing after Maradona and Messi.”
Current and former players, such as Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, and Marc Cucurella, have also backed Yamal, with Haaland calling him “incredible” and Lewandowski suggesting, “If not this year, it will be next.”
Despite stiff competition from former Barcelona star Ousmane Dembélé, now shining at Paris Saint-Germain, Yamal’s case is bolstered by his extraordinary impact at such a young age.
With football’s elite rallying behind him, Yamal’s chances of bringing the Ballon d’Or back to Barcelona are stronger than ever, cementing his status as a generational talent.
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