Although none of their players won the biggest prize on the night, the last Ballon d’Or gala was still a special occasion for FC Barcelona. The Blaugranes saw one of their brightest gems, Lamine Yamal, win the Kopa Trophy, while the Women’s Ballon d’Or was also won once again by a Barcelona player, Aitana Bonmati.
However, the Manchester City midfielder, Rodri, scooped up the Men’s Ballon d’Or. Although not directly related to the Blaugrana club, the Spaniard shares the dressing room with several Barcelona players, including the recent Kopa Trophy winner, Lamine Yamal.
The former Atletico Madrid midfielder has never been shy of praising the young winger, and in a recent interview, as highlighted by Lamine Yamal Xtra, he also revealed the advice that he had given the Barcelona wonderkid after winning the Euro 2024 with him:
“I told Lamine Yamal to keep working after the Euros. Am I afraid of him going off the track? Yes, because I saw his incredible potential and he has to realize that he cannot even waste 1% of his talent. He did that at the age of 16 so imagine what he will be like at the age of 20.”
This is definitely some good advice for the Barcelona winger, who has already proven himself to be one of the most differential wingers in Europe only at the age of 17 years.
At Barcelona, he has already established himself to be a key starter for the Blaugranes, and his importance in the Catalan team is clear from the fact that the only two matches that Hansi Flick’s team lost in La Liga were the ones in which Yamal did not start.
Hopefully, he will heed the advice coming from the current Ballon d’Or holder, and keep on working at his best level to ensure he can achieve the maximum level of his potential.
