"Lamine Yamal does not have the numbers to win the Ballon d'Or"
The Barcelona youth academy player is one of the top favorites, although there are footballers who do not see him as a winner
Latest news about Barcelona. Lamine Yamal, a 19-year-old forward, is once again at the center of the debate for the Ballon d'Or after Saul Niguez questioned his merits to win the award. The Flamengo midfielder believes that other candidates have done more during the past year, while the ceremony will take place on October 26.
Saul Niguez doubts Lamine Yamal's candidacy
Saul Niguez analyzed the race for the Ballon d'Or in 'Marca' before the England-Spain match and placed Lamine Yamal among the players who can make a difference, but not as his main candidate. The former Atletico Madrid player believes that his numbers do not justify awarding him the trophy at this moment.
The assessment comes after Lamine himself publicly defended his candidacy. The Barcelona player stated in September that he deserves the award for his achievements during the season and recalled that he won the World Cup with Spain before turning 20.
Recent records explain part of the debate. Lamine has 6 goals in 5 La Liga matches and 1 goal and 2 assists in the Champions League at the start of the 2026/27 season. In the previous season, he ended with 24 goals with Barcelona and was chosen as the best player in La Liga.
Furthermore, the forward was a world champion with Spain in July 2026 and became the youngest player to win both the Euro Cup and the World Cup. In the previous Ballon d'Or vote, he finished second, behind Ousmane Dembélé.
Saul also mentions Raphinha and other candidates
Saul's criticism is not limited to Lamine. The Flamengo player also did not include Kylian Mbappé among his favorites and mentioned Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Raphinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as players who, in his view, have shown more merits.
The reference to Raphinha is particularly relevant for Barcelona. Saul questioned why the Brazilian is not among the finalists, while the forward has started the new season as one of the top scorers for Barcelona alongside Lamine.
The debate has also received responses outside the Barcelona locker room. Max Eberl, Bayern's sporting director, recently defended Michael Olise after his performance against Union Berlin, while Harry Kane remains focused on his own records.
For Barcelona, Lamine's candidacy remains a relevant matter before the ceremony. The club has publicly supported his chances, and the player has made it clear that he wants to win the Ballon d'Or, although the final decision will rest with the journalist voters.
The final result will be revealed in London on October 26. Until then, Lamine Yamal will continue to accumulate games and statistics with Barcelona, while statements from figures like Saul Niguez keep the race open without an official decision yet.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "Lamine Yamal no tiene los números para ganar el Balón de Oro"