Atlético Madrid midfielder Alex Baena has voiced his support for Barcelona star Lamine Yamal in the race for this year’s Ballon d’Or, placing the young winger ahead of Rodri and Lionel Messi in his personal top three contenders.
Baena shared his opinion ahead of the Madrid derby against Real Madrid, calling Yamal the best player in world football.
When asked by DAZN journalists to name his three preferred candidates, Baena did not hesitate to reveal who he believes deserves the award.
“For me, it’s very clear. My top three are Lamine, Rodri, and Messi. To me, Lamine is the best player in the world. Rodri showed his quality at the World Cup; he was the best player of the tournament. And what Messi has achieved this season at 39 years old is something only a few can accomplish.
Honestly, this summer I watched a lot of Yamal during training sessions, and he does things you don’t see from other professional footballers. He’s one of those rare players I watch matches for. The only other player I’ve done that for is Messi: I used to watch games just to see him play. It’s the same with Yamal now—I watch Barcelona matches because of him and a couple of other players, but if he’s not on the field, it’s really hard for me to get myself to turn on the broadcast,” stated the Atlético and Spain international.
Related Stories
