Former Barcelona Star Slams Lamine Yamal's Ballon d'Or Comments, Citing Messi

Abelardo Fernández, former Barcelona and Spain national team star, has criticized young player Lamine Yamal's statements regarding his entitlement to the Ballon d'Or award, asserting that his remarks about deserving the prize were ill-advised. During his appearance on the "Radio Estadio Noche" program, Abelardo commented on Yamal's statement, in which the player indicated he saw himself as one of the top candidates to win the award this year, as reported by the Spanish newspaper Marca. Yamal had previously stated that he believed he deserved the Ballon d'Or based on the titles and results he achieved during the past season, placing himself and France's Kylian Mbappé among the world's best players. Abelardo commented on this, saying: "You can think about it, but you cannot say it. I don't think that's good, because it makes you look bad." The former Barcelona star added that Yamal could have expressed his ambition in a more reserved manner, stating: "You can think about it and say: I might be among the top favorites, but you never know who these awards will go to." Abelardo stressed his disapproval of Yamal's statements, citing Argentine legend Lionel Messi, and remarked: "I never heard Messi, who is considered a god of football, say that." These criticisms come amidst intense competition for this year's Ballon d'Or award. The list of nominees includes an elite group of prominent football stars, among them Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal himself, Kylian Mbappé, Rodri, Ousmane Dembélé, and Erling Haaland, as well as other players who excelled last season and during their participation with their national teams in the 2026 World Cup. Notably, Messi, who has won the award eight times, continues to be among the nominees despite his advanced age, while French player Ousmane Dembélé, the reigning title holder, re-enters the race to defend his award.