Hansi Flick: Lamine Yamal deserves the 2026 Ballon d'Or

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick lauded 16-year-old Lamine Yamal after a dominant 5-1 Champions League victory over Feyenoord at Camp Nou, saying the young Spaniard "deserves to win the Ballon d'Or" and should be considered for the 2026 award.

Flick praises Yamal and highlights Rafinha

Speaking after the match, Flick underlined his confidence in the teenager and in the squad's wider potential. "He is my player and, of course, I believe in him. He deserves to win the Ballon d'Or. He is an exceptional and special player. Anyone who watches his matches knows that he deserves it," the German coach said, reflecting on Yamal's performance at Camp Nou.

Flick also singled out Rafinha, who scored twice against Feyenoord and continued an impressive start to the season. "Rafinha's intensity is excellent. When he attacks from deep and receives passes from Pedri, he is excellent. Dani Olmo played in the same position tonight but added control at the right moment. The free-kick Lamine Yamal took also created a good situation," Flick commented.

Despite the comfortable scoreline, Flick emphasised that Barcelona still have room for improvement. He pointed to training and analysis as the keys to development. "I like what I see, but there are situations we need to improve. The most important thing is training, because that's where you develop. Then come the matches, you analyse your performances and try to be even better," he concluded.

The win maintained Barcelona's strong start in the Champions League group stage and underlined Yamal's growing role in the first team. Flick's public endorsement places the 16-year-old among the early-season headlines and fuels the debate over individual awards ahead of 2026.

Photo: press material from the event