"Judge the player based on his ability to make a difference individually” - Zlatan names player he would’ve given Ballon d'Or to instead of Dembele

Former AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has claimed that Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal deserved the Ballon d'Or over PSG's Ousmane Dembele. The Swede said that the Spaniard was making the difference on the pitch more than the Frenchman.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Ibrahimovic said that the journalists voting for the Ballon d’Or need to judge players based on their ability to change matches on their own. He added that the best player last season was Yamal and said:

"You have to judge the player on his ability to make a difference individually. For me, Yamal did. I would have given it to Yamal."

Yamal also took home the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d'Or gala last month, while Ousmane Dembele won the Ballon d’Or in his first-ever nomination. The Barcelona youngster's father spoke on El Chiringuito after the gala and claimed that his son not winning the award was a 'moral harm'. He said:

"I think this is the greatest harm, I wouldn't say theft, but moral harm caused to a human being, because I believe that Lamine Yamal is by far the best player in the world, and by far the one who makes a lot of difference."

"Not because he's my son, but because he's the best player in the world. I think there is no rival, Lamine Yamal is Lamine Yamal. It must be said that something very strange has happened here. Greetings to all of Spain, and next year it will be a Spanish ball."

Yamal finished second in the Ballon d’Or race this season, with Dembele winning by 321 points. The PSG star got 1380 points, while the Barcelona star got 1059, over 300 more than third-placed Vitinha.

Javier Tebas believes Barcelona star lost Ballon d'Or because of age

Javier Tebas spoke to MARCA after the Ballon d'Or gala, claiming that age was the only reason Lamine Yamal did not win the Ballon d'Or. He added that the Barcelona star would have been the outright winner if he was over 23 years old and said:

"If he had been older than 23, he would have won it, too, I'm sure, but since he was younger, they gave him the other one [Kopa trophy]. If he continues at the level he's at, which seems likely, I think there's no doubt he'll win the Ballon d'Or."

Lamine Yamal is out of action after picking up a groin injury. He is expected to be fit in time for Barcelona's match against Real Madrid in La Liga later this month.