Mounir Nasraou expressed his frustration after his son finished second to Ousmane Dembélé, while Barcelona remains hopeful for the 18-year-old’s future.
The father of Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal has voiced his strong disappointment after his son missed out on the Ballon d’Or, calling the result a profound injustice. Mounir Nasraou attended the prestigious awards gala in Paris on Monday only to see the prize go to Paris Saint-Germain’s treble-winning forward, Ousmane Dembélé.
Speaking to Spanish television after the event, Nasraou did not hold back. “I think this is the biggest, I won’t say theft, but moral damage done to a human being,” he stated. “I believe Lamine Yamal is the best player in the world by far, by a huge margin.”
Nasraou insisted his belief was not based on family ties but on pure talent. “It’s not because he’s my son but because he’s the best player in the world. I believe there are no rivals. Lamine is Lamine Yamal. Something very strange has happened here,” he added, confidently predicting, “Next year there will be a Spanish Ballon d’Or winner.”
The outcome highlighted the classic debate in Ballon d’Or voting: individual brilliance versus team trophies. Dembélé, 28, was instrumental in PSG’s historic season, scoring 35 goals as they captured the Champions League, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France. Yamal, at just 18 years old, had a spectacular season himself, scoring 18 goals and leading Barcelona to a domestic double of LaLiga and the Copa del Rey, though they fell short in the Champions League semifinals.
Barcelona President Joan Laporta acknowledged the weight of European success. “I think winning the Champions League has had its weight,” Laporta said. “We were hopeful… I’m convinced this will only motivate Lamine more. He is a winner.”
Despite the Ballon d’Or disappointment, Yamal’s extraordinary talent was still recognized. He made history by winning the Kopa Trophy for the world’s best under-21 player for a second consecutive year, an unprecedented achievement.
The young star himself took the result in stride, focusing on the future. “I need to keep on working to win other awards in the future,” Yamal remarked. His agent, super-agent Jorge Mendes, echoed that confidence, leaving no doubt about his client’s potential. When asked about the second-place finish, Mendes simply said, “Lamine is going to win many Ballon d’Or awards.”
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