Sport
Carvajal Says Lamine Yamal Could Become a Future Ballon d’Or Winner
Real Madrid skipper Dani Carvajal has spoken highly of Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, praising his rapid rise in world football.
Carvajal, who shares the Spanish national team camp with Yamal, admitted he was impressed by how much the 18-year-old has achieved at such a young age. He even tipped the youngster as a strong contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Yamal has been in superb form since Euro 2024, playing a key role in Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side that secured a domestic treble last season. His performances have also earned him a place among the 30 nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Speaking to Cadena SER, Carvajal said that making an impact at the highest level at just 18 is no small feat, noting that he himself was still at Castilla at that age. However, he stayed clear of predicting whether Yamal would actually win the Ballon d’Or, pointing out that he wasn’t part of the voting panel.
Former footballer Thierry Henry has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s match following their loss to Atlético Madrid on October 13.
Speaking during a brief interview on CBS Sports, Henry criticised the practice of players or coaches expressing certain opinions through the media instead of addressing issues directly within the dressing room.
“I’m not a coach anymore, but I always say, whoever speaks like that, out. Keep that in the dressing room, it’s as simple as that,” Henry said on CBS Sports.
“That is the only way it can work. You have to say those things to a person’s face… going through the press, I am not really a fan of that.”
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has shared his thoughts on the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, revealing that he hopes the winner will come from his team.
The manager spoke about how hard his players have worked and expressed his belief that they deserve the recognition.
“What I hope is that we win this trophy. We have players who deserve it.”
“Last year, we were the best team. We showed that it wasn’t just Ousmane Dembélé who deserved it.”
French football pundit Walid Acherchour has named Lamine Yamal as his pick to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, sparking reactions among football fans.
Acherchour’s choice came as a surprise to some fans, who expected him to support fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappé instead.
Speaking about his prediction, Acherchour expressed confidence in Yamal’s chances of winning the prestigious individual award.
“For me, Lamine Yamal, he is going to get it [2026 Ballon d’Or]. For me, there’s no doubt anymore,” Acherchour said, as quoted by Actu Foot. That start to the season shows that in fact, he was injured during the World Cup. He was the best player in La Liga, and he won the World Cup.
“Even if, for me, in fact, he doesn’t have the Ballon d’Or unanimously because his World Cup was average, even being average, he won it with Spain. He won La Liga with Barça.”
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