Lamine Yamal backed to win Ballon d’Or by Barcelona icon: “The question is when” | OneFootball

Barcelona will be reunited with a familiar face when they get their 2026-27 Champions League campaign underway on Wednesday. Feyenoord will be at the Spotify Camp Nou for the MD1 league phase clash, and their manager is former Blaugrana defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Between 2003 and 2007, van Bronckhorst played 154 matches across all competitions for Barcelona, and now he comes face-to-face with his former club on Wednesday. As per MD, he looked back on his time as a player in Catalonia, while also looking ahead to the challenge at hand for the Feyenoord side.

“I have very good memories. I played here for four years, it was a very beautiful time. It was a dream to come here. We are facing a team that will push us back. We will have to be attentive. You have to be brave to have the ball to the maximum. Maintaining possession against such a good team is difficult, but it is a very nice challenge. We have to give the best possible image. We don’t have to park the bus.

“Everyone is clear that Barça play very well, maybe they are the best at the moment. They create a lot of opportunities. They have won two leagues and they want to win the Champions League, it is the next step they want to take. The Champions League was the most beautiful milestone of my career. It’s special for all players. The time to win it is getting closer and closer.”

Van Bronckhorst backs Lamine Yamal for Ballon d’Or success

In the week that Lamine Yamal was shortlisted for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, van Bronckhorst was asked about the Barcelona winger’s chances of taking home the award at the age of 19. While he may not do it this year, the Dutchman is clear that he will undoubtedly win it over the course of his career.

“He is a player who at his age has already won a lot. People come to the stadium expressly for Lamine. He has the quality to win the Ballon d’Or. The question is when he will win it. He has the potential, I have no doubt.”