Class! 19-year-old Yamal: I will never beg for the Ballon d'Or; I have won the World Cup and La Liga titles_Kane_Barca_Response

On September 8, 19-year-old Barcelona rising star Yamal made bold remarks at a pre-Champions League press conference, firmly stating that he would never ask anyone for the Ballon d'Or and believing that his performances this season are competitive enough to be in contention for the award.

In the early hours of September 10 Beijing time, Barcelona will host Feyenoord in the first round of the Champions League. At the press conference, Yamal responded to questions related to the Ballon d'Or. A reporter asked for his view: “Do you think you deserve the Ballon d'Or?” Yamal answered without hesitation: “The decision is not up to me, but to all the media members. My performances, whether at club level or with the national team, have been excellent. If I can win the Ballon d'Or, I will naturally be extremely grateful. But I firmly believe that I do have this opportunity.” Another reporter then asked: “If you were asked to campaign for the Ballon d'Or, what would you do?” Yamal directly replied: “No, I don't think there is any need to campaign for it. I don't need to convince anyone, everyone has their own opinion. This year we won the World Cup and won the La Liga title again, and I do not intend to beg for anyone's support.”

Yamal's confidence does not come without basis. Over the past year, his performances for both club and country have carried significant weight. At the recently concluded FIFA World Cup in North America, Mexico and Canada, he helped Spain win the World Cup title while also helping Barcelona lift the La Liga trophy again. Yamal is proud of what he has achieved over the past year, saying “this has been a wonderful period,” and he remains open to the final result, believing that “there is indeed a chance.”

Yamal's comments prompted many reactions from fans. One fan joked: “Haha, last year they used one Nations League match to decide the Ballon d'Or, this whole thing is really a farce.” Others said: “Kane is the most convincing candidate.” Some also brought up Cristiano Ronaldo: “In his 20-year career, he has only scored one penalty in the World Cup knockout stage, the pressure is huge, and he deserves to win his sixth Ballon d'Or.” Other comments expressed dissatisfaction and made sarcastic remarks: “Don't beg, you won't get it anyway!” “His statistics in other leagues might not even rank in the top 30!” and similar comments such as “Give it to Kane, everyone will be happy” appeared one after another. Overall, Yamal and Kane's performances have sparked heated discussions among fans, filled with banter and humor.