Kounde Tips Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal for Ballon d’Or Over Mbappe and Dembele

France international defender Jules Kounde has made a bold call in the debate over who should win this year’s Ballon d’Or, overlooking his fellow countrymen Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele in favour of Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal.

The 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place on September 22 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, with France Football already releasing the 30-man shortlist. Both Mbappe and Dembele, who enjoyed stellar campaigns for club and country, are in contention.

Yet when asked about the award, Kounde admitted his heart lies with his teenage teammate:

“Lamine Yamal for the Ballon d’Or? You’re putting me in a tricky situation, but I think he deserves it,” he told Le10Sport.

The Barcelona defender went further to praise Yamal’s contribution, stressing the young Spaniard’s ability to lift his teammates on the pitch with his creativity and maturity.

At just 18 years old, Yamal has already put together an astonishing season—scoring 18 goals and providing 25 assists in 55 appearances. His brilliance spearheaded Barcelona to a LaLiga triumph, alongside victories in the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España.

Opinion

Kounde’s endorsement may raise eyebrows, especially considering Mbappe’s continued dominance and Dembele’s resurgence, but his faith in Yamal reflects the growing sentiment that football is witnessing the rise of a new generational star.

While the Ballon d’Or has often favoured seasoned players with global reputations, Yamal’s numbers cannot be ignored. To deliver that level of performance at just 18—and to play such a decisive role in Barcelona’s treble-winning season—is nothing short of phenomenal.

Of course, the competition is fierce. Mbappe dazzled with PSG before joining Real Madrid and remains one of the most lethal forwards in the game. Dembele, too, shone brightly last season. But what Yamal represents is freshness and inevitability—a player who doesn’t just win matches but seems destined to redefine an era.

If the Ballon d’Or is truly about individual brilliance and influence on a team’s success, Yamal’s case is compelling. Kounde might be showing a little bit of teammate bias, but he may also be speaking a truth the football world is slowly beginning to accept: Lamine Yamal is not just the future—he may already be the present.