‎Hansi Flick backs Lamine Yamal to win 2026 Ballon d’Or award

‎Barcelona coach Hansi Flick believes Lamine Yamal deserves to win the Ballon d’Or and dismissed concerns about the teenager’s ego.

‎Yamal has been named among the contenders for the prestigious award and earlier this week the Spanish winger said he and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé are the best players in the world.

‎The talented youngster added that it’s him that deserves to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

‎Reacting to this, Flick hailed Yamal for his self-confidence and honesty.‎

Lamine Yamal celebrating after scoring a goal during  for Barcelona. (Photo by Maciej Rogowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

‎”He’s honest, he has the self-confidence,” Flick said ahead of Wednesday’s LaLiga game against Racing Santander when asked about Yamal’s remarks.

‎”He has shown this season how good he is. He’s exceptional. His opinion is that he deserves it and I think also he deserves it: two titles [LaLiga and the Spanish Supercopa] with us, the World Cup with the Spanish national team, why not?

‎”It’s the same self confidence he has on the pitch. Whether it’s 1v1 or 1v2 or 1v3, everyone in the stadium is like ‘Wow.’ This is Lamine. I will support him. It is amazing to have a player like him.

‎”Why should we not [campaign for him to win the Ballon d’Or]? It’s normal. It’s our player. We support our player.”

‎Flick warned his players last season “egos kill success” and he has always placed the team ahead of any individual during his two years in charge of Barça.

Barcelona’s coach Hans-Dieter Flick hugs Lamine Yamal. (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP via Getty Images)

‎”I hope not,” he added when questioned on whether Yamal’s push to win the Ballon d’Or could become a distraction.

‎”We are focused on what we can change, what is in our hands, which is to work hard every day. If you win titles for the team — because for me it is most important to win with the team — then you deserve it because you worked hard.

‎”Lamine is an exceptional player. I know there are a lot of world class players on the list, so it is not easy, but they will decide [who wins] … and I will be really happy when it’s finished.”

‎The coveted individual prize will be awarded at a ceremony in London on Oct. 26, with Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane and Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé among the other contenders in an extremely open field.