Lamine Yamal laid down the gauntlet to fellow Ballon d'Or contender Ousmane Dembele ahead of Spain's Nations League semi-final clash with France.
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Yamal & Dembele have been sensationalFrench star was key to PSG's maiden UCL titleBarca winger ready for a showdown against DembeleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Dembele, revitalised at Paris Saint-Germain, has played a starring role in their treble-winning campaign, securing Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Champions League. His output this season has been remarkable, with 35 goals across all competitions for both club and country.
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Not to be outdone, 17-year-old Yamal has been a driving force for Barcelona, contributing to their domestic dominance. He lifted La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa de Espana, while also impressing again for the Spain national team. Yamal has scored 19 goals across all platforms, an impressive tally for a teenager still breaking into the elite level. However, it must be noted that Dembele has already beaten Yamal to the Champions League Player of the Season award, after PSG brushed aside Inter 5-0 in the final.
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With both players enjoying phenomenal seasons for club and country, the stakes are sky-high in the race for the Golden Ball. The Nations League semi-final between Spain and France is being billed as a potential decider in what’s becoming a two-horse race for the most prestigious individual award in world football. However, rather than playing into the drama, Yamal challenged the logic behind basing the award on one match.
WHAT YAMAL SAID
Speaking to Spanish broadcaster on Monday, Yamal said: "I am confident that we [Spain] will win on Thursday, but whether we win or not, I would still vote for the best player in the world. If Thursday doesn’t go the way I want or Dembele wants, then what? You’re voting for someone else who plays on Sunday? I’m the kind of person who votes for the best player over the whole year. But if people want to risk it all on one game, well… we can play that game then."
The teenage forward then cheekily added: “I’d give it to the best player of the year… and I’d keep it for myself.”
