LaLiga president, Javier Tebas, has stirred debate after suggesting that Barcelona’s teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal, was denied the 2025 Ballon d’Or because of his age.

The 18-year-old prodigy finished as runner-up to Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé, who claimed the prestigious award after leading PSG to a historic Champions League triumph. While Yamal missed out on the top honour, he consoled himself with a second successive Kopa Trophy, awarded to the world’s best young player.

“If he had been older than 23, he would have won it too, I’m sure. But since he was younger, they gave him the other one [Kopa Trophy],” Tebas said, expressing confidence that Yamal’s Ballon d’Or glory is only a matter of time.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta, however, struck a more pragmatic note, acknowledging that Dembélé’s Champions League-winning campaign gave him the decisive edge in the voting.

Opinion:
Tebas’ remarks highlight an ongoing debate in football: should age influence recognition at the highest level? Yamal’s performances in 2025—mature beyond his years, dazzling with skill, and often carrying Barcelona on his young shoulders—were worthy of the top honour. Yet, it’s also true that the Ballon d’Or has historically leaned towards players whose brilliance is coupled with collective triumphs like the Champions League.

But here lies the beauty of Yamal’s story: he is only 18. Most players his age are still finding their feet in professional football, yet he is already competing neck-to-neck with seasoned world-class stars. Missing out on the Ballon d’Or at this stage might even be a blessing in disguise—it adds to his hunger and narrative, setting the stage for what could be a dominant era.

Football fans should see Yamal not as a runner-up but as a preview of the future. His back-to-back Kopa trophies signal a generational talent destined to define the next decade. If he continues on this trajectory, the Ballon d’Or will not just be within reach—it may one day bear his name multiple times over.

For now, Dembélé deserves his flowers for carrying PSG to European glory, but the world knows this is just the beginning of Yamal’s rise. The golden ball might have slipped away in 2025, but the story of his greatness is only just beginning.