Football fans know the way the conversation goes when the Ballon d’Or is back on the table and get ready for endless debates about raw stats, the number of goals, trophy cabinets, and so on. Former Barcelona forward João Félix, however, breathed new life into the discussion with an altogether emotional statement in an interview with Diario AS just recently. Félix didn’t flinch when asked to name the most valued individual trophy in the sport, with Barcelona’s teen superstar Lamine Yamal being the obvious choice ahead of the likes of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé. The decision for Félix is more than just a matter of cold, hard stats on a piece of paper.
Félix said the criteria for a Ballon d’Or winner is one where the player can “entertain all sports enthusiasts. He stated that although Mbappé and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane have posted impressive numbers and enjoyed spectacular individual campaigns, Yamal has been a spark on the pitch when he is in. “If there’s one player who, when you switch on the telly, has you glued to the screen watching him play, it’s Lamine,” Félix stated. In his eyes, the teenager isn’t just playing games; he is literally football personified.
Beyond sheer entertainment value, Félix highlighted the weight of silverware on the international stage. With Spain capturing major international glory, Yamal added vital tournament success to his sensational club form with Barcelona. In World Cup cycles or major international tournament years, lifting a trophy for your country traditionally carries massive sway among Ballon d’Or voters. Yamal’s performance for club and country at an early age certainly challenges Mbappé’s Golden Boot quality, to say the least.
Interestingly, Felix also talked about his own career path and why he failed to make it to this year’s shortlist due to his move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr. The Portuguese attacker said it didn’t matter, as he is not concerned with anyone else and is just playing his own game. His attention is still on pure talent, such as that of Yamal, and a testament to football fans that goals are what win games, but it’s the magic and artistry of football players who keep us glued to the television set who truly make the Golden Ball.
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