LaLiga president Javier Tebas raised eyebrows with his comments on the latest edition of the Ballon d’Or, where Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal finished second behind Ousmane Dembélé. According to Tebas, the decisive factor that kept the Blaugrana winger from winning the award was simply his youth.

A dream season for Yamal

At just 18 years old, Yamal delivered a brilliant campaign with Barcelona, recording 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 official matches. His performances were key to Hansi Flick’s side winning both LaLiga and the Copa del Rey, as well as shining in European competitions.

Although he didn’t lift the Ballon d’Or, the Barça prodigy did claim the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best player under 21, becoming the first in history to win it twice. For Tebas, however, this “consolation prize” didn’t reflect the winger’s true level: “If he were over 23, he would have won it without a doubt. Since he’s younger, they gave him the other trophy instead,” he argued.