‘I won’t beg for Ballon d’Or,’ says Yamal

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File: Barcelona’s Spanish forward Lamine Yamal. Photo by MANAURE QUINTERO / AFP.

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Barcelona star Lamine Yamal said Tuesday he will not beg for the Ballon d’Or trophy after winning the World Cup with Spain and La Liga with the Catalan giants.

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On Monday Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe made his case to win the trophy, highlighting his World Cup Golden Boot win, which also saw him become the competition’s all-time top goalscorer.

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Yamal, 19, thought he had played very well while winning trophies for club and country but said he was happy to let others decide whether he deserved the prize.

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The teenager, Mbappe, Harry Kane, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are the main candidates to win the award at the ceremony in London on October 26.

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“I don’t think I need to (make a campaign for it), I’m not thinking about what I deserve, everyone can think what they like,” Yamal told reporters.

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“I’m proud of everything I’ve done this year with my club and with the national team. We’ve become world champions, we’ve won the league again. I can’t ask for anything more.

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“I think… I’ve shown an incredible level, it’s (the media’s) job and I will not beg for anything.”

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Yamal came second in last year’s Ballon d’Or voting behind PSG star Dembele.

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France forward Dembele recently told France Football that Kvaratskhelia, Kane and Mbappe would be in his top three to win the award.

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“He’s a friend of Kylian, right?” joked Yamal of the French winger, formerly of Barcelona.

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“The truth is I don’t care, I’m very happy with the year I had, when I played against both of them together I must have annoyed them.”

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Spain knocked out France in the World Cup semi-finals with a convincing 2-0 victory.

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Yamal suffered a hamstring injury in April and has only just returned to his best level.

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The winger appeared unhappy at the start of the season but seemed far more cheerful as he netted two goals against Rayo Vallecano and Valencia in his last two outings.

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“In the end, I’m 19, coming off winning a World Cup, having had the best holidays of my life,” said Yamal.

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“I’ve never been happier at any point in my life than I am now.”

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– Champions League dream –

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The teenager said a key ambition this season was to aim for the “very special” Champions League trophy, with Barcelona beginning their campaign on Wednesday at home against Dutch side Feyenoord.

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Barca last won the trophy in 2015, led by the Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar attacking trident.

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Under coach Hansi Flick they reached the semi-finals in 2025 and then the quarter-finals last season.

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“Every big club is dreaming about this because this is the best competition,” said the German.

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“We have the quality to win this, but there’s a long way (to go).”

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Flick hailed Yamal and said the most important thing was that the Spaniard is enjoying himself on the pitch.

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“Lamine is a player who can decide games on his own, fantastic quality,” added Flick.

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“It’s great, you can see it every day how he is enjoying playing football.

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“For me the best thing is that he enjoys this game and then he’s on a top level.”

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Yamal will be the favourite to win a third consecutive best young player award at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

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He was one of 10 players nominated on Tuesday, including Johan Manzambi, Yan Diomande and Ayyoub Bouaddi, who all impressed at the World Cup and were then the subject of big-money summer transfers.

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