“Do people not understand?”: Lamine Yamal takes a swipe at Harry Kane in the Ballon d’Or debate

In an interview with former professional Jorge Valdano for Movistar Plus, the 19-year-old Barcelona attacker said the Ballon d'Or should, in principle, go to the best player rather than the one who has scored the most goals.

"I think the Ballon d'Or should go to the best player in the world, full stop. Not to a player who has scored 80 goals, because if you score 80 goals, you get the top scorer award for that. Those are two completely different things that people do not understand," said Yamal.

For the Spanish world and European champion, the best player is not always the top scorer as well. "The best player in the world is the one where, as a commentator, you are following a match and enjoying it – you see him and think: 'That is a player who clearly stands out from all the others.'"

The Ballon d'Or would only regain its "true value" when it once again goes to the best footballer, "and not to the one who scores the most goals or has won the most titles".

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Those comments are widely seen as a clear dig at Kane, who only recently picked up the Golden Shoe as last season's top scorer after netting 73 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich and the England national team.

Alongside Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and PSG star Ousmane Dembele, Kane and Yamal are considered the leading contenders for the Ballon d'Or. Yamal and Mbappe in particular have repeatedly thrust themselves into the spotlight in recent days with questionable self-glorification.

"Mbappe and I, we are the two best in the world, but I think I would have deserved it this year. For me, that is clear, and everyone who watches the matches knows it," the 19-year-old Spaniard said, for example.

Last year, Yamal won the LaLiga title with Barcelona and finished with 42 goal involvements in 45 appearances across all competitions, scoring 24 goals and supplying 18 assists. However, his biggest argument for football's top individual prize is likely to be winning the World Cup with Spain.

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