Yamal: Too Young to Appreciate Ballon d'Or, Dembélé's Win Was Good

Lamine Yamal, the prodigious young talent from Barcelona, has revealed his thoughts on winning the prestigious Ballon d'Or, stating he believes he was not yet ready for such an accolade. Recovering from an injury, Yamal is set to be a prominent figure at the upcoming World Cup for Spain.

In a video addressing his followers, the 18-year-old expressed his initial belief that he might win the award, but ultimately felt it was better that Ousmane Dembélé secured it. "If I'm honest, I thought I would win that day, but too many things happened," Yamal explained. "I think it was really good for me that Dembélé won. Regarding my personal development, I don't think it was the right time for me to win it yet, as I was still a child and wouldn't have known how to appreciate what it means to win the Ballon d'Or."

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If I'm honest, I thought I would win that day, but too many things happened. I think it was really good for me that Dembélé won. Regarding my personal development, I don't think it was the right time for me to win it yet, as I was still a child and wouldn't have known how to appreciate what it means to win the Ballon d'Or.

Yamal also spoke about his positive relationship with Dembélé, crediting the French player with helping him regain his footing after a difficult period. "He helped me get back on my feet because I wasn't in a good place, and I think I've matured a lot and changed many things in my life since then," Yamal added.

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He helped me get back on my feet because I wasn't in a good place, and I think I've matured a lot and changed many things in my life since then.

When discussing his footballing inspirations, Yamal named Brazilian superstar Neymar as his primary idol. "Watching Ney will always be a pleasure for me, as he is my role model," he stated. He also mentioned enjoying the play of Manchester City's Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku.

Yamal and the Spanish national team are scheduled to begin their World Cup campaign on June 15th against Cape Verde.

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Watching Ney will always be a pleasure for me, as he is my role model.