Barcelona captain Raphinha has declared unequivocal support for teammate Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d’Or, dismissing rival claims from Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and others as the voting deadline approaches. Speaking to The Guardian, the Brazilian left no room for ambiguity when asked if Yamal deserved the award.
Raphinha’s case: statistics, trophies, and intangibles
Raphinha outlined a three-pillar argument for Yamal’s candidacy. “I think winning the Ballon d’Or depends on individual statistics, team honours and the magic you bring to the pitch. Charisma and all that. Those are the most important factors, and Lamine has it all,” he explained. The Barcelona captain emphasized consistency rather than isolated brilliance, noting that Yamal has delivered “spectacular statistics, not just this past season, but the one before that as well. He’s made a spectacular start to this one.”
When pressed on whether his backing was clouded by dressing-room proximity, Raphinha rejected the suggestion outright. “Even if I wasn’t Lamine’s teammate, given what he does on the pitch, his statistics, the titles he’s won… titles are very important,” he said, framing the endorsement as objective assessment rather than loyalty.
Trophy success as the deciding factor
Raphinha grounded his argument in silverware. Yamal “has won two out of three titles with Barça and the World Cup with his national team,” the captain highlighted, positioning collective honours as inseparable from individual awards. He stressed the teenager’s centrality to both organizations: “He’s one of the most important players at Barça and for the Spanish national team. For me, there’s no doubt about it: he has to win the award, no matter what.”
Acknowledging that competing fanbases will marshal their own cases, Raphinha remained unmoved. “As for what others say, everyone looks out for themselves, but for me it’s very clear,” he said. He concluded with finality: “For me, he’s the favourite; he has to win it.”
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