Barcelona legend Xavi has shared his thoughts on why teenage sensation Lamine Yamal missed out on the 2025 Ballon d’Or, which was claimed by Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele.
Dembele, a former Barcelona forward, beat Yamal to secure the first Golden Ball of his career, despite the 18-year-old’s outstanding performances for the Catalan giants.
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Xavi, who coached Yamal during his breakthrough at Barca, explained to Marca that team success played a crucial role in the voting outcome. “This time, collective titles weighed more heavily. For me, of course, he deserved it. So did Vitinha, Salah, Pedri, and Raphinha… many players deserved it. But in the end, titles count more. Lamine will win it, I’m convinced — but when his team wins the Champions League or a World Cup,” he said.
It was Xavi who handed Yamal his senior debut at just 15, after being impressed by his talent and confidence in training. “I feel very proud of what Lamine is doing and of having given him the chance to make his debut. He was very prepared, very capable, and made a difference from day one. For me, he’s one of the chosen ones and can define an era in world football,” Xavi added.
The Barcelona boss revealed that the club staff had long believed Yamal had Ballon d’Or potential, saying, “We said it among the staff — we said he was Ballon d’Or material. Watching him train, you could already see something different.”
Yamal, who recently signed a new contract and inherited Lionel Messi’s iconic No.10 shirt, is currently sidelined with a groin injury picked up on international duty. He is expected to be out for two to three weeks, with Barcelona set to face Girona on October 18.