"I won't beg for the Ballon d'Or": Barcelona's Lamine Yamal takes a swipe at Kylian Mbappe
At the end of October, the object of desire will lose again: the Ballon d'Or. As always, the biggest fuss is made about the best player of the season just gone.
Alongside Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, the favourites naturally also include the world champions Rodri and Lamine Yamal, as well as World Cup top scorer Kylian Mbappe. The defending champion is Ousmane Dembele of Champions League winners PSG.
Yamal, unlike Mbappe, has no interest in promoting himself. But when asked, the 19-year-old Barcelona player did not miss the chance to aim a dig at the French forward from rivals Real Madrid.
"I don't think I need to advertise myself. Everyone can think what they want," Yamal said on Tuesday during the press conference for the start of the Champions League. "I am proud of what I have achieved, and I couldn't wish for anything more. That is your job, I won't beg for anything."
"Childish and pathetic": 98 World Cup winner attacks Yamal
Mbappe made his own case on Monday and described his chances as good, saying he had "made history this summer in the most prestigious competition". He also considers himself "always the best player in the world".
The 27-year-old did make history. For the second tournament finals in a row, he finished as top scorer, and in just three tournaments his 22 goals took him to the top of the all-time World Cup scoring list.
Christoph Dugarry then laid into him for the self-promotion. The 1998 World Cup winner called the comments by his compatriot "childish and pathetic".
Yamal on Dembele: "He is a friend of Kylian ... I don't care"
As for Yamal, he is taking the run-in to the Ballon d'Or award in his stride. He can only influence the vote on the pitch anyway. "It does not depend on me, but on you. The work with Barcelona and the national team was incredible. I have a chance, I had a great year. But we will see."
He was also asked about defending champion Dembele, who is being given hardly any chance of winning despite lifting the Champions League again.
"He is a friend of Kylian ... I don't care," Yamal said briefly. "I am very satisfied with the year behind me. When I have played against the two of them, I have won. I get on very well with Ousmane."
With captain Yamal in pursuit of the Champions League title
For Barca's right winger, there are clearly more important tasks at hand. The Champions League "is the big goal, there is no greater motivation. We are all highly motivated. We are all firmly focused on that".
Individually, he wants to improve. "I am young, that is my goal." At 19, Yamal is already a world and European champion and, most recently, one of Barcelona's captains. Alongside first captain Raphinha, he is part of coach Hansi Flick's leadership group with Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Eric Garcia.
Yamal said he is "grateful" and "proud" to have earned the trust of his team-mates. "Rapha is an incredible captain, and Eric, Pedri ... I learn from them to always try to do what is best for the team."
Barcelona and Yamal begin their Champions League campaign on Wednesday with a home game against Feyenoord Rotterdam. Other opponents for the Catalans include defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.
