David Villa backs Barcelona prodigy to ‘100%’ win prestigious individual award | OneFootball

Speaking at a media appearance earlier today, former Barcelona and Spain superstar David Villa has backed Lamine Yamal to win the Golden Boy award for 2024.

Yamal, 17, has established himself as one of the most exciting young players in the game since his breakthrough last year.

The teenage La Masia prodigy has already become a permanent fixture in the starting XI for club and country and is making huge waves.

Having played a key part in Spain’s UEFA Euro 2024 triumph in the summer, Yamal is now shining for Barcelona, registering seven goal contributions in five league games.

Given the spectacular year that he has had, Yamal has emerged as the frontrunner to win the 2024 Golden Boy Award while he is also in the top 30 Ballon d’Or nominees as well.

Villa backs Yamal for Golden Boy

The 2024 Golden Boy winner? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Now, Villa has absolutely backed Yamal to walk away with the Golden Boy award this year, hailing the Barcelona sensation as a special player.

“Lamine Yamal is going to 100% win the Golden Boy award. He is a special player,” the former Barcelona forward told El Chiringuito TV.

This is not the first time that Villa has spoken highly of Yamal, having praised the teenage wonderkid in an interview earlier this week as well, although he did downplay the comparisons drawn between the youngster and Lionel Messi.

“I think, not because of Lamine, because he is a special player, a unique player, we have not seen anything like him I think ever because of his youth and precocity, but I have said it many times, to compare a player with Messi is a mistake,” he said.

“But it’s true that this boy is doing some things that make us think that we don’t know where his ceiling is going to be,” Villa added.