Barcelona legend Rivaldo believes teenager Lamine Yamal has the talent to win the Ballon d’Or but must deliver consistent numbers.
The 18-year-old sensation finished second in the recent vote, with PSG’s Ousmane Dembele crowned as the best player last season.
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Rivaldo, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1999, urged Lamine to increase his goals and assists to claim football’s biggest prize.
The Brazilian icon compared the youngster’s situation to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, stressing they dominated through extraordinary attacking productivity every season.
Rivaldo on Raphinha and Pedri’s Rankings
Rivaldo also expressed disappointment that Raphinha only managed fifth place despite finishing as the Champions League’s top scorer last season.
He argued the Brazilian deserved better recognition, even suggesting he could have been the rightful Ballon d’Or winner ahead of Dembele.
According to Rivaldo, Barcelona’s elimination against Inter in the Champions League semi-final ultimately hurt Lamine Yamal and Raphinha’s chances of winning.
The legendary forward also questioned Pedri’s ranking, surprised the midfielder was not included in the top 10 after another strong season, reports Barca Universal.
Rivaldo concluded that Barça’s young stars must keep working hard, insisting Yamal has everything needed to become football’s next Ballon d’Or winner.
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