As part of La Liga's commitment to bring Spanish football closer to fans worldwide, on 18/8, La Liga representatives held an online conversation with Vietnamese media outlets. This was part of the "Watch What You Haven't Seen" campaign for the 2025-2026 season.

Christian Karembeu, a former Real Madrid player who won two Champions League titles and the 1998 World Cup, represented La Liga and answered questions from the Vietnamese media. Vietnam is considered a strategically important country in Asia for the Spanish league.

Born in 1970, Karembeu played for Real Madrid from 1997 to 2000. He was instrumental in the club's two Champions League titles in 1998 and 2000. Photo courtesy of La Liga.

Born in 1970, Karembeu played for Real Madrid from 1997 to 2000. He was instrumental in the club's two Champions League titles in 1998 and 2000. Photo courtesy of La Liga.

When asked who has a better chance of winning the 2025 Ballon d'Or between Lamine Yamal and Ousmane Dembele, the former French midfielder wittily replied, "I think both deserve this award. Just look at Lamine Yamal, he continues to prove his exceptional talent right from Barca's first match of the new season against Real Mallorca. Yamal scored and did whatever he wanted on the pitch,".

"Yamal is very talented and young; if he thinks seriously about his career path, he has the potential to win many Ballon d'Ors in the future," Karembeu shared. "Meanwhile, Dembele is older, so Yamal should probably let Dembele have this opportunity this year."

The former Real Madrid player, who won the Champions League in 1998 and 2000, added, "Dembele won many collective titles last season, from the Champions League to the recent European Super Cup. This might give him an advantage in this race. Besides Dembele, we cannot forget another outstanding player in the PSG squad, Achraf Hakimi. The votes will give us the answer."

Since Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who dominated the Ballon d'Or for over a decade, left La Liga, the league's appeal has supposedly diminished. However, Karembeu disagrees with this view.

"I agree that Messi and Ronaldo are great icons and have left a significant impact on La Liga's history. But before them, other legends also played in Spain, such as Maradona, Ronaldo de Lima, and Zidane. Football continues, and so does La Liga. The league constantly produces new talents, and not just from Barca's La Masia, but from all over Spain; there are still many other 'Yamals.' La Liga also continues to attract stars, from Mbappe to Bellingham, Trent-Arnold, and Rashford. At the same time, La Liga now has many Champions League-level teams," Karembeu affirmed.

Having been teammates with Redondo, Raul, Roberto Carlos, and Davor Suker at the Santiago Bernabeu, Karembeu diplomatically answered when asked to compare that Real Madrid squad with the current one led by Xabi Alonso: "I think if Alonso were asked this question, he would say it's difficult to compare generations. Being from the previous generation, I certainly believe we were better. And the current generation of players will declare they are better. Before us, don't forget that Real Madrid also had the generation of Di Stefano, Puskas, and Gento. We cannot forget the past; they contributed to Real Madrid's history. My generation or the current generation, what we need to do is continue the tradition and bring glory to the club."

Finally, Karembeu believes that although Real Madrid no longer has Toni Kroos or Luka Modric, Alonso's squad will certainly bring surprises to fans in the new season. "As a Real Madrid fan, who wouldn't want the current squad to have 'new Krooses,' 'new Modrics,' or even 'new Zidanes, Benzemas, Ronaldos.' But we need to recognize that Real Madrid is rebuilding; a new Real Madrid is being created and will bring a lot of excitement. President Florentino Perez knows what he needs to do because winning and regaining success is in the club's DNA."

Hoang Thong