Yamal says his style of play is his best case for the Ballon d'Or
The short version
- Lamine Yamal, 19, says his style of play is his strongest argument for the Ballon d'Or.
- He won La Liga with Barcelona and the World Cup with Spain this year.
- Yamal has three Ballon d'Or nominations and two Kopa Trophy wins.
- Ousmane Dembélé won last year's Ballon d'Or; Yamal congratulated him.
- PSG has been promoting Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for the award.
The Barcelona and Spain forward, 19, laid out his argument for winning the award in an interview with L'Équipe.
Lamine Yamal has made his pitch for this year's Ballon d'Or, telling L'Équipe that the way he plays is what separates him from the other candidates. The 19-year-old Barcelona forward said those who follow football already understand his case, pointing to the trophies he has won and the freedom he plays with.
Yamal is coming off a season in which he lifted La Liga with Barcelona and the World Cup with Spain. He has been nominated for the Ballon d'Or three times and won the Kopa Trophy, given to the best young player, for a second time last year.
Asked why Ousmane Dembélé took the top award ahead of him a year ago, Yamal noted that both played in the Champions League but Dembélé won it, adding that experience also matters. He congratulated the Paris Saint-Germain forward on his season.
Yamal described the Ballon d'Or as a prize for the player people enjoy watching, the one with magic who makes you want to tune in, saying it is not simply about goal totals.
Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, both of PSG, have been visible in the media since nominations were announced earlier this month, while Kylian Mbappé has also given interviews ahead of the vote.
