The 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or were announced on Tuesday afternoon, with the list including title holder Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane. Pedri and Raphinha were both left off the list, a decision that stirred major controversy, particularly in Spain.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick addressed the snub at a press conference after his side beat Feyenoord Rotterdam 5-1. He said Raphinha should have been on the list, but that the decision could no longer be changed.
Flick's Case for Yamal
Flick has another player in his squad seen as a serious contender for the trophy: Yamal. The young winger has continued to shine for Barcelona and also helped Spain win the World Cup this year, although he scored only one goal and added one assist at the tournament. Last year he finished runner-up in France Football's rankings for the award.
Asked whether Yamal could now go on to win the Ballon d'Or, Flick did not hesitate. He said it was obvious, since Yamal was his player from Barcelona, and that this was wonderful for him. Flick said it was clear in every match that Yamal was exceptional, that nobody else had what he had, and that he deserved to win the Ballon d'Or.
Yamal's Rivals for the Award
Yamal faces stiff competition for the honour. Many believe the prize belongs to Dembele, while others, including Jose Mourinho and Mbappe himself, favour the French forward.
Zinedine Zidane, the France head coach, offered a different view. Despite being a compatriot of both Mbappe and Dembele, he said the award should go to Messi. Zidane said people did not really understand how remarkable it was that, at the age of 39, someone could still be among the best players in the world. Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record eight times.
