Lamine Yamal shines for Spain despite missing Ballon d’Or

Lamine Yamal delivered a standout performance for Spain in a 4-1 victory against Croatia at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán stadium. The 19-year-old Barcelona winger scored a header from a volley and provided an assist for debutant Marc Pubill, contributing to his season total of 11 goals and 7 assists in 10 matches.

Following the Ballon d’Or ceremony, where Harry Kane was named the winner, Yamal addressed his supporters on social media. While he congratulated the winners, he did not explicitly mention Kane. Yamal expressed confidence in his future trajectory, stating, “It will come, good things take time. I believe in the path I am on. Without rush, with excitement and peace, because I know that one day my time will come.”

Despite missing out on the primary award, Yamal was named the best young player of the year for the third consecutive year.