"God's plan is always perfect. The climb to the summit is a gradual process. Happy to add another Kopa Trophy and congratulations to Dembele on his award and fantastic season," Yamal wrote on Instagram on 23/9, alongside a series of photos from the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Yamal's post quickly drew responses from teammates like Marc Casado, Fermin Lopez, Alejandro Balde, and Marc Bernal. Many fans also commented that, with his exceptional talent, Yamal will inevitably win the Ballon d'Or someday.
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Lamine Yamal smiles as he receives the Kopa Trophy during the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony presented by France Football at the Chatelet Theater in Paris, France on 22/9/2025. Photo: FC Barcelona |
Lamine Yamal smiles as he receives the Kopa Trophy during the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony presented by France Football at the Chatelet Theater in Paris, France on 22/9/2025. Photo: FC Barcelona
On the evening of 22/9, Yamal brought 20 family members and friends to the Ballon d'Or ceremony at the Chatelet Theater in Paris. The Spanish winger was ready to celebrate in France if he won the prestigious individual award. However, he only received the Silver Ball, finishing behind PSG's Ousmane Dembele.
While Yamal expressed composure, even embracing and congratulating Dembele, his father, Mounir Nasraoui, was visibly upset. "I don't think it's exactly a robbery, but it's certainly one of the biggest emotional blows a person can experience," he told the media in Paris.
Yamal didn't leave empty-handed, winning the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the world's best U21 player, for the second consecutive year. The Euro 2024 champion broke the "one winner per year" cycle since the award was first presented by France Football in 2018. He also extended Barcelona's dominance in this category, with the club claiming 4 out of 7 awards, including Pedri (2021), Gavi (2022), and Yamal (2024, 2025).
Ousmane Dembele surpassed Yamal to win his first Ballon d'Or after an explosive season with PSG. The French forward scored 35 goals and provided 14 assists in 53 matches, playing a key role in PSG's treble-winning season, which included the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the French Cup.
Lionel Messi, an 8-time Ballon d'Or winner, expressed his joy at seeing his former teammate honored. "Amazing, Ous!!! Congratulations, I'm so happy for you. You fully deserve it," the Argentinian superstar commented on Dembele's Instagram post in Spanish.
In his acceptance speech, Dembele acknowledged his time at Barcelona, where he played alongside Messi. "I learned a lot there, playing with players like Messi and Andres Iniesta. It was a wonderful experience. I am very happy to look at the list of legends who have won this award," the PSG forward shared.
Hong Duy (Marca, ESPN)
