Barca News Network
·16 January 2025
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Yahoo sportsBarca News Network
·16 January 2025
FC Barcelona is always competing for the next title, and enough is simply never enough. For the Catalan giants, the goal is always to hunt down the next possible title no matter what happens in the present. After successfully winning the Spanish Super Cup after defeating Real Madrid, Barcelona are now looking ahead.
However, beyond just the collective awards, the Catalan club also often sees its players aiming for individual accolades. When it comes to those, there is perhaps nothing more prestigious than the Ballon d’Or itself. Coveted as the most sought-after individual award in all of football, many Barcelona legends have won it in the past.
One such icon was Rivaldo, the Brazilian legend who won the Ballon d’Or himself in 1999 while playing for FC Barcelona. In terms of firsthand experience of winning the award, few players can claim to know much better than the South American icon and goalscorer.
For him, however, the two favorites to win the next edition of the award hail from Barcelona as well in 2025. As highlighted by SPORT, the former Barça forward believes that both 17-year-old Lamine Yamal and his compatriot Raphinha are the two leaders for the Ballon d’Or right now in his opinion:
“At this moment, I don’t see anyone ahead of Lamine and Raphinha in the Ballon d’Or race.”
However, while he did acknowledge that a certain star for Premier League side Liverpool has a good claim as well, both Raphinha and Yamal could decide what happens at the Ballon d’Or ceremony if they can help Barcelona win some major titles:
“Perhaps outside of Spain, Salah is a strong candidate because of his season, and Vinícius will always be in the conversation. But this will depend a lot on Barcelona and their ability to win collective titles. Both are having excellent seasons.”
Going further, he highlighted how the youngster was showcasing a lot of maturity in his recent performances. Similarly, he also spoke about Raphinha’s sensational performances, talking about his goal contributions and his determination as well:
“Yamal is playing with a lot of maturity for his age, and Raphinha is also a strong Ballon d’Or candidate, especially because of his recent performances. He’s scoring goals, providing assists, and playing with a lot of creativity and determination. He’s definitely a standout contender.”
Ultimately, the end of the season will likely dictate who ends up being crowned the worthy winner of the Ballon d’Or. While it will definitely be an incentive for both the two Barcelona forwards to strive towards, the first priority will always be the collective success of the team itself.