Yamal sets his own Ballon d’Or criteria as trophies and goals lose importance

Lamine Yamal has explained how he believes the Ballon d’Or should be decided. Speaking to Jorge Valdano, the Barcelona winger argued that team trophies, scoring totals and club identity should not automatically determine the winner. In his view, the award should simply go to the best footballer.

TEAM TROPHIES SHOULD REMAIN TEAM TROPHIES

Yamal pointed out that winning the Champions League is a collective achievement. He applied similar logic to goals, noting that football already has separate awards for the leading scorers.

“People prioritise factors that have nothing to do with it. When Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League, PSG get the Champions League trophy. If you are the top scorer, you get the top scorer award,” Yamal said during his appearance on Universo Valdano.

The Spain international explained that he places greater value on a player’s overall influence and the quality of his football than on a simple list of goals and trophies. It is a legitimate position, although the timing makes it difficult to separate from the campaign surrounding his Ballon d’Or candidacy.

BARCELONA’S FLEXIBLE RULEBOOK

Barcelona have publicly backed Yamal for the award, with Joan Laporta, current players and former club figures all adding their voices. The latest argument explains why the achievements and numbers recorded by his rivals should not necessarily settle the debate.

The criteria appear remarkably flexible. Team honours are powerful evidence when they favour Barcelona’s candidate, but scoring records become a separate matter when they strengthen someone else’s case.

Yamal is entitled to define footballing excellence in his own way. The wider campaign is more questionable when every criterion seems to gain or lose importance depending on which candidate benefits from it. Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or push continues, and the rulebook is apparently still being written.