"Sorry Paris Saint-Germain, for me, he was the best last season" - Javi Martinez backs Barcelona star to win Ballon d'Or in 2025

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Javi Martinez has backed Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d'Or in 2025. The former World Cup and European Championship-winning Spain international has claimed that Yamal was the best player in the world last season.

The Ballon d'Or ceremony will be hosted at the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris on September 22. Lamine Yamal is regarded as among the favourites for the most prestigious individual award.

Javi Martinez has claimed that depsite PSG's Champions League triumph last season, Yamal deserves to win the accolade. He said, via BarcaTimes on X:

"Balon D'Or? Sorry Paris Saint-Germain, for me, Lamine Yamal was the best last season. He's also not just the best in Spain, but the whole world."

Lamine Yamal enjoyed a scintillating season with Barcelona last time out, helping the Catalan giants secure the domestic treble. He was also a key player for Spain as they won the UEFA European Championship in 2024 and finished runners-up in the UEFA Nations League in 2024-25.

He only turned 18 in July and has already made 109 appearances for Barcelona and earned 22 caps for Spain. The technically gifted winger scored 18 goals and produced 25 assists in 55 appearances for the Blaugrana last season.

Chelsea star Marc Cucurella backs Barcelona star to win 2025 Ballon d'Or

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has backed Barcelona attacker Lamine Yamal to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The former La Masia graduate believes that his compatriot deserves the most prestigious individual award in football following a remarkable last season. Speaking to the media after Spain's 3-0 win against Bulgaria, the left-back said, as quoted by Barca Universal:

“I have to back it. I think Lamine has had a great year; he deserves it. In the end, if he doesn’t win it, it doesn’t matter. He’s very young, but at his age, the things he does are worth appreciating.”

Cucurella went on to claim that Yamal is the trickiest defender to deal with at the moment. Chelsea will be up against Barcelona in the league phase of the Champions League and Cucurella has admitted that he will have a tough game. He said:

“He’s the hardest winger to stop. He’s a very skilful player; you never know what he’s going to do to you. It’ll be a tough match, but I’ll try to make things as difficult as possible for him.”

Apart from Yamal, Ousmane Demeble, Vitinha, Achraf Hakimi, Raphinha and Mohamed Salah are regarded among the frontrunners for the Ballon d'Or.

About the author

Snehanjan is a journalist at Sportskeeda covering European football news. A hardcore Liverpool fan for over two decades, he has been covering the game since the past 8 years and always strives to give readers relevant, accurate and credible content.

Snehanjan developed an interest in football at a very young age, thanks to his father watching football on TV. His favorite player is club legend Steven Gerrard and his favorite manager is another legend in Jurgen Klopp. The ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ i.e., Liverpool beating AC Milan in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final left an indelible mark on him. He believes that Liverpool is a family unlike other top clubs, which sets them apart.

Snehanjan also follows Indian Super League and the I-League, although the latter is closer to his heart. If he could change a rule in football, it would be VAR not pointing out mistakes of on-field officials unless they are clear and obvious errors. Outside the football world, Snehanjan likes to explore the various genres of music and watch movies and shows on OTT. He’s also a car enthusiast and likes to follow the automobile world.

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Edited by Snehanjan Banerjee