Ibrahimovic backs Barcelona for La Liga and Champions League double and picks his Ballon d’Or winner | OneFootball

Former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the people in football who makes everyone sit up and listen when he talks.

He has made his preferences clear when looking at some of European football’s biggest prizes, and Barcelona feature prominently in his predictions.

Zlatan puts his faith in Barcelona

Speaking in a quick-fire segment shared by ESPN FC, the former Barcelona striker was asked to pick his winners for La Liga, the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or.

Asked who he expects to win La Liga, Ibrahimovic simply answered: “Barcelona.”

Asked who he expects to win the Champions League, Ibrahimovic simply answered: “Barcelona.”

And when the Ballon d’Or question arrived, the Swede backed Barça’s teenage superstar: “Lamine Yamal.”

Coming from Ibrahimovic, who spent the 2009-10 season at the Camp Nou, it represents a considerable show of faith in Hansi Flick’s current side.

Lamine gets another major endorsement

The Lamine selection is particularly interesting given the competition surrounding the Ballon d’Or.

There is so much discussion over who deserves the award this year, and with a sensational season and a World Cup behind him, Lamine is one of the favourites.

At just 19, the winger has already reached the point where established names within the game are discussing him not simply as football’s next superstar, but as the best player in the world at the moment.

His start to the season has only strengthened that argument. Lamine has registered 11 goals and seven assists across his opening 10 appearances for Barcelona and Spain.

Barça have to turn belief into trophies

Ibrahimovic backing Barcelona for both major competitions is flattering, but those predictions also underline the expectations now surrounding Flick’s team.

Lamine Yamal is one of the favourites for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Barça are chasing a third consecutive La Liga title, while the Champions League remains the trophy capable of taking this young team’s development to another level.

The Catalan club are in the third season of their project under Flick and have looked unstoppable at the start of the season.

They were steamrolling opponents for fun before the international break and will hope to do the same once club football resumes.

Everyone expects this to be the season in which European glory returns to the Camp Nou, and it remains to be seen how things play out.