The race for this year’s Ballon d’Or is heating up, with the likes of Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane among the players tipped to win the prestigious award.
As football stars and pundits begin to name their preferred winner, former Barcelona and Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix has backed Lamine Yamal to claim the award.
Speaking to AS, Felix, now playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, explained that Yamal’s ability to make fans stop and watch separates him from the other leading candidates.
The Portuguese forward also addressed his own absence from the Ballon d’Or shortlist, insisting that it is not something he has been particularly concerned about.
Felix was asked to name his favourite for the award and based his choice largely on the entertainment and influence Yamal brings whenever he plays.
Joao Felix runs with the ball during the Saudi Pro League game between Al Riyadh and Al Nassr. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
Explaining why the Yamal should win the award, Felix said,
“I’ve always maintained that the Ballon d’Or is for that player who, when you see him, makes you say: ‘This is a star and he deserves to go down in football history’.
“And if there’s one player who, when you switch on the telly, has you glued to the screen watching him play, it’s Lamine,” he said.
Felix acknowledged the seasons produced by Mbappe and Kane, but believes Yamal’s combination of individual brilliance and international success gives him a particularly strong case.
“It’s true that Mbappe and Harry Kane have had a great season, but Lamine is football personified.
“What’s more, he’s won the World Cup, and in World Cup years, winning it is always very important if you want to be in with a better chance of the Ballon d’Or.”
Asked about his own absence from the nominees, Felix said he had not been following the selection process closely and was not particularly bothered by his omission.
“Those aren’t things that depend on me; I don’t know who chooses who or who doesn’t. I wasn’t worried about it. I didn’t even know when the list would be published. I’m relaxed about it.
“People see the Saudi league as a bit underrated; of course it’s not in the top five, but it’s a good league. I’ve had a great season, but I’m relaxed…
“Perhaps if we’d gone further in the World Cup, I might have been on it, but I don’t know,” he concluded.
