Lamine Yamal Speaks Out After Stunning Ballon d'Or Snub: "It Was a Great Season"

In contrast to his father's reaction, Lamine Yamal displayed maturity following the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony, offering congratulations to Ousmane Dembélé for his "exceptional season" that led to his individual recognition.

Yamal secured the Kopa Trophy for the top player under 21 and achieved an impressive runner-up position in the main category, advancing six spots from his previous year's ranking. If the 18-year-old had claimed the primary honor, he would have broken Ronaldo's record as the youngest Ballon d'Or recipient ever. With two years remaining to surpass that milestone, Yamal displayed no public resentment after falling short on Monday evening.

"God's timing is flawless, one must ascend step by step to reach the summit," the Barcelona winger posted on Instagram Tuesday afternoon. "Thrilled about the Kopa trophy x2 and congratulations to Dembélé for his award and exceptional campaign."

Lamine Yamal Stats vs. Ousmane Dembele

Yamal's father showed less grace. Mounir Nasraoui characterized the oversight as "emotional harm to an individual" and failed to convince many when he declared: "I believe Lamine Yamal is the world's finest player by far, by an enormous distance. Not simply because he's my child, but because he's the planet's best footballer. I believe he has no competition."

Yamal's rise to second position has faced scrutiny from some, given the remarkable season delivered by his Barcelona colleague Raphinha, who placed a surprisingly low fifth.

Dembélé, who is a decade older than Yamal, avoided mentioning the young forward in his emotional victory speech, choosing instead to express gratitude to his family and Paris Saint-Germain officials who recruited him from Barcelona just before Yamal emerged as a star.

"What I've just experienced is extraordinary, I'm speechless about it, what occurred with PSG," Dembélé addressed the crowded Théâtre du Châtelet while his teammates were suffering a 1–0 defeat to bitter rivals Marseille. "I feel somewhat nervous, earning this award isn't simple, and receiving it from Ronaldinho, a football icon, is extraordinary.

"I want to express gratitude to PSG who recruited me in 2023. It's an amazing family. President Nasser [Al-Khelaifi] is like a father figure to me. I also thank all the staff and coach, who have been wonderful to me—[Luis Enrique] is also like a father—and all my colleagues.

"We have essentially achieved everything together. You stood by me through both successful and challenging periods. This personal accolade is one the squad has earned as a unit."