At just 19 years old, Lamine Yamal has already positioned himself at the center of major discussions in world football. After a season marked by his titles with Barcelona and, above all, with Spain, the forward made it clear once again his enormous confidence and took a stand in the race for the Ballon d'Or, to the point of placing himself above Kylian Mbappé.
In an interview with Jorge Valdano for Movistar Plus, the attacker was asked who should receive the highest individual recognition awarded by France Football. First, he avoided giving an immediate answer and stated: "Who would I give it to? The best player in the world. Who are they going to give it to? That's already a very long conversation".
However, minutes later he was much more emphatic. Yamal stated: "I honestly believe that the best in the world are two of us and this year I deserve it for what I have won. For me, Mbappé and I are the two best in the world. For me, it's clear and everyone who watches the matches knows it".
The player's confidence was also evident when reflecting on his participation in the World Cup. Although Spain managed to win the title, he acknowledged that he was dissatisfied with his level and assured that he could have done more. "After winning the World Cup, I wasn't happy. The injury is true, but it has nothing to do with it. I know that if the World Cup were to repeat itself at another time, I would have been at the same level if I hadn't had the injury", Yamal explained.
