Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal has announced his decision against actively campaigning or "begging" for the coveted Ballon d'Or award, asserting that the ultimate choice of the recipient should rest with the voters.
The 19-year-old winger enters the competition following what he has described as an exceptional year, contributing significantly to both his club, Barcelona, in their retention of the LaLiga title, and the Spain national team in their triumph as world champions.
Mbappe's Stance and Yamal's Philosophy
Yamal's comments emerged after Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe had previously presented his own case for the prestigious individual accolade on Monday. Mbappe notably referenced his standout performance at the World Cup, where he secured the Golden Boot and established himself as the tournament's all-time leading goalscorer.
Having previously secured second place in last year's Ballon d'Or voting, finishing behind PSG star Ousmane Dembele, Yamal conveyed his contentment with his accomplishments and his intention to defer the final decision to the judging panel.
“I don’t think I need to make a campaign for it. I’m not thinking about what I deserve, everyone can think what they like,” Yamal stated on Tuesday.
“I’m proud of everything I’ve done this year with my club and with the national team. We’ve become world champions, we’ve won the league again. I can’t ask for anything more. I’ve shown an incredible level, it’s the media’s job and I will not beg for anything.”
Leading Contenders and Friendly Banter
Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Ousmane Dembele, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are among the prominent candidates vying for the award, with the ceremony scheduled to take place in London on October 26.
Dembele, in a recent interview with France Football regarding the award, nominated Kvaratskhelia, Kane, and Mbappe as his preferred top three contenders. When questioned about Dembele’s choices, Yamal playfully retorted, “He’s a friend of Kylian, right?”
The Barcelona winger further added, “The truth is I don’t care, I’m very happy with the year I had, when I played against both of them together I must have annoyed them.” This remark likely refers to Spain's 2-0 victory over France in the World Cup semi-finals, a campaign in which Yamal played a significant role.
Injury, Return to Form, and Personal Satisfaction
Yamal's season experienced an interruption in April due to a hamstring injury. However, he has since made a strong return to his peak form. After appearing somewhat frustrated at the commencement of the season, Yamal has demonstrated increasing comfort and confidence in recent fixtures, notably scoring twice in his last two appearances against Rayo Vallecano and Valencia.
Reflecting on his current mindset and the year's successes, Yamal expressed profound happiness. "In the end, I’m 19, coming off winning a World Cup, having had the best holidays of my life,” he said. “I’ve never been happier at any point in my life than I am now.”
Beyond the main award, Yamal is also widely considered the frontrunner to secure a third consecutive best young player award at the Ballon d'Or ceremony. He was among the ten players nominated for this accolade on Tuesday, a list that also includes Johan Manzambi, Yan Diomande, and Ayyoub Bouaddi, all of whom impressed at the World Cup and subsequently attracted considerable transfer interest during the summer period.