‘He’s one of the chosen ones’
Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez has been chatting about the recent Ballon d’Or awards and admits he would have given the prestigious prize to Lamine Yamal.
The teenager finished second in the rankings to former Barca star Ousmane Dembele, but Xavi thinks it should have been the youngster who was crowned the best player in the world.
“I’m very proud of what Lamine is doing and of having given him the opportunity to debut. I saw him as very prepared despite being fifteen years old. I saw him as very self-confident, with great ability, making a difference in training. He wasn’t afraid of anything,” he told Marca.
“From day one, he made a difference. For me, he’s one of the chosen ones and can mark an era in world football. He has no complexes, nor any fear.
“This time, the team titles weighed more. For me, of course, he deserved it. So did Vitinha, Salah, Pedri, and Rafinha… there are many who deserve it, but in the end, the titles matter more. Lamine will win it. I’m convinced, but not until his team wins the Champions League or a World Cup.”
Yamal has previously admitted he dreams of winning the Ballon d’Or multiple times and has already been tipped by many to go on and win the trophy in the future.
Category: General Sports
