How Lamine Yamal went from being suspended in Spain to becoming the top pick for the Ballon d’Or, as private talks came to light
Lamine Yamal is being talked about as a top contender to win the Ballon d’Or at the London Palladium on October 26. The Barcelona star has faced some challenges but has worked hard to get where he is today.
Right now, Yamal is just a bit ahead of Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane as the favorite to win, and if he does, he will become the youngest player ever to take home the award. At just 19 years old, the Spain international has already shown he’s one of the best players in the world. He played a big part in helping Barcelona win the La Liga title and then helped Spain claim their second World Cup this summer.
Known for his amazing skill cutting in from the right and using his low center of gravity to outsmart defenders, Yamal had an incredible season last year with 42 goal contributions in 45 games. He’s kept up that excellent form this year, scoring eight goals and providing six assists in only eight club matches.
Playing alongside teammates Raphinha and Anthony Gordon, Yamal is part of one of Europe’s most dangerous attacking trios. He’s giving everything he can to win the Ballon d’Or.
But Yamal’s path hasn’t always been smooth. Although he made his La Liga debut at just 15 and scored in his first match for Spain five months later, he faced some issues off the field at Barcelona early on. In 2023, he was suspended for three weeks while with Spain’s U17 team because of some disciplinary problems. Legendary Barcelona player Sergio Busquets spoke to him directly and told him he needed to change his behavior if he wanted to succeed.
Yamal later shared, “I was really scared when Busi asked me, ‘What did you do with the national team?’” Busquets reminded him, “Now you’re at Barça, everyone knows who you are, so no matter how good a player you are, you have to behave.”
That talk was exactly what Yamal needed. Since then, he’s focused completely on training, playing, and resting for football – and it’s paid off big time. Just three years later, he’s playing for Barca’s first team wearing the No. 10, winning Euro 2024, the World Cup, three La Liga titles, and two Spanish Super Cups.
During the recent international break, Yamal scored four goals, including the first against England, showing he’s ready to keep dazzling fans. Barcelona return to action on Saturday, October 10, hosting Getafe. In a press conference, coach Hansi Flick praised Yamal and teammate Pau Cubarsi, saying, “His level is amazing, and when I watched him in London, it’s clear he sees the game differently. Yamal is young, recovers fast, and even if he plays 60 or 70 minutes, that’s great. He loves playing, and if he keeps this mindset, he will be the best player in the world, if he isn’t already. He’s right at the top, and I’m very happy with how he’s doing.”