Barcelona star Lamine Yamal believes the Ballon d’Or should not simply go to the player who scores the most goals.
The teenage forward says the award should recognise the player who brings something special to football and gives fans a reason to enjoy watching the game.
Yamal made the comments in an interview with French newspaper L’Equipe as he continues his pursuit of the prestigious individual award.
The Barcelona winger finished second behind Ousmane Dembélé last year and is again among the players being discussed for the prize.
Other leading names in the race include Dembélé, Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane.
According to Yamal, having several strong candidates makes the competition more interesting because football fans and journalists can have different opinions about who deserves the award.
He argued that goals should not be the only measurement when deciding the world’s best player.
For Yamal, creativity, entertainment and the ability to make supporters excited to watch a match are also important qualities.
He pointed to football legends such as Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho as examples of players whose influence went beyond simply finding the back of the net.
The Barcelona star also believes his performances and success with Spain strengthen his case.
Yamal has already collected major international honours with Spain, while also winning several trophies with Barcelona. He said his style of football is one of the strongest arguments in his favour.
Despite dreaming of winning the Ballon d’Or, Yamal insisted that the award is not an obsession for him.
The youngster said he wants to build his own legacy rather than spend his career comparing himself with legends such as Pelé and Messi.
His goal, he explained, is to be remembered simply as Lamine Yamal and hopefully become one of the great players in football history.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich forward Luis Díaz has backed teammate Harry Kane for the award.
Díaz praised Kane’s goalscoring ability, mentality and attitude in training, describing the England captain as his preferred candidate for the Ballon d’Or.
The different opinions highlight the fierce debate surrounding this year’s award, with several of football’s biggest stars having strong cases for recognition.
Source: L’Equipe, ESPN
