Luis de la Fuente rails at Oyarzabal’s Ballon d’Or snub, backs Spanish winner | OneFootball

Luis de la Fuente used his Thursday briefing at the Carlos Tartiere in Oviedo to defend his Spain players over individual awards, insisting a Spanish footballer should claim this year’s Ballon d’Or. According to Diario Vasco, the world champion coach said he always backs brand Spain.

The most striking moment came when he addressed Mikel Oyarzabal’s omission from the official shortlist. He suggested the list should have included Oyarzabal and joked that whoever took the names must have dropped his candidacy and left him out.

Oyarzabal was Spain’s top scorer at the World Cup with five goals, and won the Copa with Real Sociedad.

Team-mate Yangel Herrera echoed the squad’s frustration, arguing Oyarzabal should have been there after a strong year, a major title with Real Sociedad, a World Cup appearance and a key role for the world champions.

De la Fuente also endorsed Lamine Yamal’s trajectory, saying the teenager could win the Ballon d’Or because he is an extraordinary footballer, and predicting that if it does not happen this time, it will come soon.

Source: Diario Vasco

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”