Former Barcelona target names Cubarsi among world’s future greats and backs Yamal for Ballon d’Or

Former Barcelona target names Cubarsi among world’s future greats and backs Yamal for Ballon d’Or Luka Vuskovic has seen enough of Pau Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal to understand why Barcelona are building so much around their teenage stars. The Croatia centre-back was on the receiving end of Spain’s 4-1 victory in the Nations League and left the game with an even greater appreciation for the two Barcelona players. Vuskovic made a point of approaching Cubarsi after the final whistle, asking for his shirt before the pair embraced.  The current Brighton defender later explained exactly why he wanted the exchange. “I asked for a Pau Cubarsi shirt because I think he’s a truly top-class centre-back. “I think he’ll become one of the greatest centre-backs in the world,” he told the press (h/t FCB World ). Vuskovic sees a future world-class defender in Cubarsi The praise is particularly notable given Vuskovic’s own development as one of the most highly regarded young defenders in Europe. Both he and Cubarsí have been identified as players capable of reaching the highest level, but it was the Barcelona defender who caught Vuskovic’s attention most directly during Spain’s victory. Cubarsi has already established himself as an important part of Barcelona’s first team despite his age, while Vuskovic is now continuing his own development in the Premier League after making a high-profile move to Brighton. Notably, the Croatian had also been linked with Barcelona before his move to England. Lamine Yamal gets Vuskovic’s Ballon d’Or vote Vuskovic has backed Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d’Or. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) Vuskovic was even more emphatic when discussing Yamal. The two players were born in 2007 and are already competing at the highest level of international football, but the Croatian has no hesitation about which teenager he believes should win the Ballon d’Or . “As for the Ballon d’Or, Lamine Yamal is my favourite candidate. He’s my age, and Lamine is amazing – he’s a phenomenon. I’ve got nothing else to say. “You saw him in the last match against us. It’s an honour to play alongside a player and a person like him,” he noted.