Barcelona director backs Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d’Or: ‘I see no doubt about it’

Barcelona director backs Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d’Or: ‘I see no doubt about it’ In an interview with RAC1 (h/t Mundo Deportivo ), FC Barcelona sporting director Deco claimed that he has no doubts about who should win the next Ballon d’Or, insisting that the top prize should go to Lamine Yamal. The Barcelona sporting director made his position clear openly backing Lamine to win the Golden Orb, while also questioning the decision to leave Pedri and Raphinha off the list of nominees. “I think Lamine is the top candidate. I see no doubt about it,”  said Deco. Deco believes Lamine’s performances over the past season make him the standout candidate. The winger played a decisive role in Barcelona’s campaign and continued to impress despite arriving at the World Cup after recovering from an injury. “He had a great season with Barça and went to the World Cup after an injury. Last season he was key to winning La Liga.” The Barcelona sporting director even brought Lionel Messi into the discussion to underline his belief that Lamine deserves the award. Will Lamine win the Ballon d’Or? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) “I like football. It’s like when Leo was winning and Leo was the best. In this case, there isn’t much to discuss,” he firmly stated. Lamine is among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, alongside a host of major names including Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Messi, as well as Barcelona duo Rodri and Pau Cubarsi. For Deco, however, Lamine stands above the rest. The same sentiment was echoed by Barcelona manager Hansi Flick after the team’s 5-1 win over Feyenoord on Wednesday, with Lamine scoring a sensational goal. “He’s my player, so of course I do. He deserves to win the Ballon d’Or. He’s an exceptional, special player. Anyone who watches his matches knows he deserves it,” Flick said . Lamine finished as a runner-up in the 2025 Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) Pedri and Raphinha omissions labelled “a global scandal” If Deco was emphatic about Lamine, he was even more critical when discussing the absence of two of his teammates. The sporting director described it as “a global scandal” that Pedri and Raphinha did not make the Ballon d’Or shortlist. “It’s a global scandal. I don’t understand the shortlists. Individual awards are unfair. Football is a team sport; it’s difficult to single out individuals,”  he said. “Seeing that Pedri isn’t on the list, given the talent he has, I just don’t get it,”  Deco added.