"Messi never did it": former Barcelona star sends harsh message to Lamine Yamal

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Abelardo Fernández, the former Barcelona and Spain international, has criticised Lamine Yamal's remarks about deserving to win the Ballon d'Or. The young forward's decision to openly declare himself worthy of the award does him no favours, Abelardo argued, whatever level he is producing for the Catalan side.

According to the Spanish newspaper "Marca", Abelardo aired his disapproval during an appearance on the programme "Radio Estadio Noche". Yamal had made his comments on the channel "Movistar Plus+", declaring himself one of the best players in the world and deserving of the Ballon d'Or.

Yamal had said: "I think I deserve the Ballon d'Or this year because of what I have won," adding that he considers himself and the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé the best players in the world, and that he deserves the award given what he has achieved during the year.

Abelardo hit back at those remarks: "You can think it, but you can't say it. I don't think so, because it makes you look bad." The player could have voiced his ambition in a more measured way, he explained.

The former Barcelona man went on: "You can think about it and say: I might be among the strongest candidates, but you never know who these awards will go to." That kind of wording, he noted, would have painted the youngster in a better light.

Abelardo, who won 54 caps for Spain, drove his point home: "I didn't like what Lamine said." He then reached for the Argentine legend Lionel Messi: "I never heard Messi, who was the god of football, say that."