Cancelo reveals the inside story of his rebellion against Al-Hilal and picks his Ballon d'Or favourite

What did the Portuguese full-back say about the Saudi club?

Barcelona full-back João Cancelo has lifted the lid on the standoff with his former club Al-Hilal that paved the way for his move to the Catalan giants last summer.

The Portugal international put pen to paper on a three-year deal at Barcelona during the summer window, cutting short a spell at Al-Hilal that had begun in the summer of 2024.

Speaking to the Catalan newspaper "Sport", Cancelo said: "I am at the club I always wanted to play for (Barcelona)."

He laid out the ultimatum: "I had one year left on my contract with Al-Hilal, and I told them either I stay and receive my full salary, or I do not go anywhere else, Barcelona or no other club."

The Portuguese full-back also backed his Barcelona team-mate Lamine Yamal to be crowned the world's best player and lift the 2026 Ballon d'Or, adamant that nobody deserves it more.

He explained: "The only player who deserves to win the Ballon d'Or is Lamine Yamal. He has won many titles at the age of nineteen: the World Cup, the European Championship, and all the titles with Barcelona."

Cancelo concluded: "His season was amazing, and by a big margin he is the best talent and the best player in the world. For me, there is no other player who can win the Ballon d'Or, it must go to Lamine."