Barcelona’s teenage star tipped ahead of Dembele and Raphinha for top prize
Ballon d’Or Shock? Zidane, Ronaldinho, Van Basten: Legends Rally Behind Yamal
The football world could be on the verge of witnessing history this September as 18 year old Lamine Yamal edges closer to winning his first ever Ballon d’or.
Dembele’s numbers vs Yamal’s influence
The Barcelona prodigy’s in contention with his teammate Raphinha & Ousmane Dembele who lifted Champions league with Paris Saint Germain.
While Dembele boasts stronger numbers 33 goal compared to Yamal’s 18 .. the teenager’s outshone him in creativity delivering 21 assists against the Frenchman’s 11.
Crucially PSG’s Champions league triumph remains the biggest factor in the race.
🤯❗️ The list of former Ballon d’Or winner and football legends backing Barça’s number 10:
Matthäus: “If I had a vote, I’d give it to Lamine. He stands out because of the joy he gives us all.”
Gullit: “This time it might not come down to who wins the Champions League final.… pic.twitter.com/eZ5Ttp6RCq
— Lamine Yamal Xtra (@Yamal_Xtra) September 7, 2025
Yet, despite the statistics, many past Ballon d’or winners openly favor Yamal:
- Lothar Matthaus (1990 winner): “If I’d vote, it goes to Lamine. We all love him”
- Ruud Gullit (1987): “The award usually goes to Champions league finalist but Yamal’s brilliance stands apart”
- Marco van Basten (3 time winner): “He focused all his talent and was the best last season”
- Jean Pierre Papin (1991): “He deserves it. He was the standout in special year”
- Zinedine Zidane (1998): “What he did against Inter Milan .. I’ve never seen player his age do that”
- Ronaldinho (2005): “He’s already at Ballon d’or level and can win it multiple times”
A golden chapter in the making
With football royalty lining up behind him .. Lamine Yamal could become the youngest player in history to claim the Ballon d’or , potentially opening the door to new era dominated by his brilliance.
