Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick says he wants to see Lamine Yamal win the Ballon d’Or, insisting the winger “deserves it”.
Flick was asked whether he would like Yamal to receive football’s most prestigious individual award after the Barcelona teenager was included among this year’s nominees.
Yamal finished second in last year’s Ballon d’Or voting, behind Ousmane Dembele. The Barcelona forward has again been shortlisted for the prize, which will be presented in London on 26 October.
Flick’s public support places Yamal at the centre of the Ballon d’Or discussion once more. The Germany coach was clear when asked about the possibility of the award going to his player, saying: “He deserves it.”
Yamal’s previous second-place finish means he has already come close to claiming the award. He was beaten by Dembele in the last vote, but his inclusion among the nominees again ensures he remains part of the debate over the world’s leading individual player.
There is no suggestion from Flick that Yamal’s previous result should be viewed as the end of his challenge. Instead, the Barcelona manager used the question to underline his belief that the winger merits recognition with the Ballon d’Or.
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on 26 October. Yamal is once again on the shortlist, with the outcome to be decided at the event.
Barcelona’s latest result added to the immediate backdrop around the comments. On Wednesday, Flick’s side defeated Feyenoord 5-1 in the Champions League.
That victory was Barcelona’s most recent match mentioned in connection with the Ballon d’Or question, although the focus of Flick’s response was Yamal’s individual prospects rather than the result itself.
Yamal’s position in last year’s voting, his return to the current nomination list and Flick’s assessment have combined to make the winger one of the key names connected with this year’s award. The final decision will be announced in London on 26 October, when the Ballon d’Or winner is presented.