Lamine Yamal defends Ballon d'Or case: 'How I play says it all' | OneFootball

Lamine Yamal spoke again about the Ballon d’Or and made it clear that his case for winning the award is not based solely on his goals or assists. The Barcelona forward believes his main calling card is the way he plays and what sets him apart from the rest of the candidates.

In an interview with L’Équipe, the Barça attacker explained what he believes could lead him to be chosen as the best footballer in the world.

“I think the way I play is my strongest argument and what makes me different,” Lamine said.

Lamine does not reduce the Ballon d’Or to numbers

The Spanish footballer also highlighted the titles he has won with Barcelona and the Spanish national team, although he insisted that individual statistics should not be the only criterion in determining the winner.

“It has nothing to do with the number of goals he scores or anything else. I don’t know, when I think of the Ballon d’Or, I think of Messi, of Ronaldinho, of players like that, who are different, who make you smile when you watch them play,” he explained.

Lamine also showed respect for the other candidates and acknowledged that there are arguments in favor of different players.

“We all have very strong arguments; we are all great players. I’m not surprised they’re part of the debate; they all have their arguments,” he commented.

Regarding Lionel Messi and Rodri, two names that also appear in the conversation, the Barça attacker avoided stirring up controversy.

“Messi is mentioned because he had a great World Cup, for example; all opinions have to be respected. If someone says, ‘It’s Messi who deserves it’ or ‘It’s Rodri who deserves it,’ that is totally respectable.”

A spectacular start to the season

Beyond the individual debate, Lamine is enjoying an outstanding start to the season with Barcelona.

The Blaugrana side has won the first seven LaLiga matches and remains top of the table, while the winger is also putting up impressive numbers in all competitions.

Across LaLiga and the Champions League, Yamal has recorded eight goals and six assists in his first eight matches of the campaign.

“At the start of every season I always try to outdo myself. From the beginning I tell myself: ‘If I completed 200 dribbles this season, I’ll make 300 next season, and if I scored 20 goals, I’ll try to score 30,’” he explained.

The forward also admitted that one of his goals is to keep evolving, especially by getting closer to the box and increasing his attacking involvement.

“It’s true that I’ve started the season wonderfully. And I’m also trying to get closer to the box, run more, and improve my football.”

The goal: winning again with Barcelona

Lamine also highlighted the identity of Hansi Flick’s team and said there is a special atmosphere inside the dressing room.

“For me, we are a very entertaining team to watch. We play to attack, keep possession of the ball and score goals. And I think it’s very clear that we enjoy ourselves. We are a big family.”

With Barcelona once again competing for every title and Lamine as one of their main attacking leaders, the Spaniard continues building his case for the Ballon d’Or. For him, however, the difference is not only in the numbers: it lies in the way he expresses the footballer within and makes people enjoy the game.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.