The buzz after this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony has been loudest around the name: Lamine Yamal. The teenage sensation, fresh off a breakthrough season, second time winner of the Kopa trophy, second to Ousmane Dembélé in the ballon d’Or 2025 rankings. But many are asking, wasn’t he robbed of the ballon d’or?
What the Facts Say
Ousmane Dembélé was awarded the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Yamal, aged 18, claimed the Kopa Trophy (best under-21 player) in the same ceremony, his second time winning that award.
His father, Mounir Nasraoui, publicly criticized the result, calling it “moral damage” and suggesting something “very strange” had happened.
LaLiga president, Javier Tebas, offered a counter-perspective. He suggested Yamal was denied the Ballon d’Or partly due to his age, implying that maturity and reputation may have swung votes.
Supporters and pundits are divided: some believe Yamal’s performances merited the top honor; others argue that Dembélé’s role in winning the Champions League, and his consistency across competitions, gave him the edge. Some others even believe the last criteria for character off the pitch cut him off?
Why Many Believe He Was Robbed
- 1. Yamal’s season was electric: He had exceptional statistical and impact metrics. Goals, assists, decisive involvement, and influence in key games for a top-tier club. Many feel those numbers should have translated into the biggest individual honor.
- 2. The Youth bias: At 18, Yamal is building the narrative that usually helps players clinch awards like Ballon d’Or. Even though older, more established players or those with major titles tend to benefit from reputation and consistency in voters’ minds.
- 3. Unclear voting mechanisms: Apart from the criteria for winning the award, there is a lack of full transparency in how votes are weighted and how factors like trophies, continental success, popularity, and narrative influence the final tally. This fuels further suspicions of unfairness.
So Was Lamine Yamal Robbed Off The Ballon d’Or?
I don’t believe this was an outright theft. Robbery implies deliberate wrongdoing or systemic unfairness. What I see is a young star pushing the limits and challenging the status quo. Then, coming extremely close to winning, only to be edged by a more seasoned contender who had both individual brilliance and team success.
Yamal finishing second at just 18 is extraordinary in itself. The disappointment is understandable, especially from fans and from his camp. But instead of crying foul, this moment should be a reminder that brilliance demands consistency, narrative-building, and longevity.
He may have lost this one but in the long run, the Ballon d’Or will likely come. And if he keeps growing the way he has, next time there won’t be much to debate.
Embed from Getty ImagesWritten by Pejuola Ransome
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