Lamine Yamal has admitted he was convinced he would win the 2025 Ballon d’Or, but says missing out on the award ultimately helped him mature both on and off the pitch.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, the Barcelona star revealed he fully expected to be crowned the world’s best player before the trophy was awarded to Ousmane Dembele.
“To be honest, I thought I was going to win it that day. But I think it was very good for me that Dembele won it,” Yamal said, reflecting on the outcome.
The 18-year-old finished second in the voting after a remarkable campaign in which he helped Barcelona secure a domestic treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, while also reaching the Champions League semi-finals.
Despite the disappointment, Yamal believes the setback arrived at the right moment in his career. “Apart from helping me grow personally, I don’t think it was the right time for me to win it because I was still a kid and I wouldn’t have fully appreciated what it means to win a Ballon d’Or,” he admitted.
Rather than dwelling on the result, Yamal used the experience as motivation throughout the following season. The winger went on to help Barcelona retain the league title, although their European campaign ended in the quarter-finals against Atletico Madrid.
Looking back, the Spain international believes losing out to Dembele became an important lesson that accelerated his development and strengthened his determination to reach even greater heights.