Lamine Yamal Is the Favourite, Raphinha Says — “He Has to Win It”

“For me, he’s the favourite; he has to win it,” Barcelona captain Raphinha stated, delivering a definitive endorsement of teammate Lamine Yamal for the Ballon d’Or.

The Brazilian made the remarks in an interview with The Guardian, as cited by Mundo Deportivo, with the voting deadline approaching. Yamal remains among the top contenders amid competition from Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and others.

Raphinha grounded his position in three criteria: individual statistics, team honours and intangible qualities such as charisma and on-pitch magic. “I think winning the Ballon d’Or depends on individual statistics, team honours and the magic you bring to the pitch. Charisma and all that. Those are the most important factors, and Lamine has it all,” he said.

Why Raphinha sees Yamal as unmatched

He stressed that Yamal’s numbers span multiple campaigns—not only this season but the previous one as well—and noted the teenager’s strong start to the current campaign.

“Lamine has spectacular statistics, not just this past season, but the one before that as well. He’s made a spectacular start to this one,” Raphinha added.

The captain also dismissed any notion that his support stems solely from shared dressing-room space. “Even if I wasn’t Lamine’s teammate, given what he does on the pitch, his statistics, the titles he’s won… titles are very important,” he said.

Yamal’s trophy haul strengthens his case

Raphinha pointed to Yamal’s collective achievements as central to the argument: “He has won two out of three titles with Barça and the World Cup with his national team.”

He underscored the teenager’s pivotal role across both levels. “He’s one of the most important players at Barça and for the Spanish national team. For me, there’s no doubt about it: he has to win the award, no matter what,” Raphinha analysed.

When asked directly whether Yamal was the ideal candidate, Raphinha responded without hesitation: “Without a doubt, yes.”

He acknowledged differing perspectives among fans and players but maintained clarity in his own view. “As for what others say, everyone looks out for themselves, but for me it’s very clear,” he said.