Laporta says Lamine Yamal deserved the Ballon d'Or
At the London Palladium, during the Kin Cheung Ballon d'Or Gala, Joan Laporta sat next to Aleksander Ceferin and, before meeting the winner, vehemently defended the young Lamine Yamal, asserting that his talent and the titles he has won made him deserving of the award.
Laporta defends Yamal
Joan Laporta, together with Javier Gascón, said on Movistar that “we think Lamine Yamal deserves the Ballon d'Or for his individual talent and the titles he has won”. He added that the assessment was made before knowing that the award had been given to Harry Kane. The conversation took place at the London Palladium, next to Aleksander Ceferin, president of UEFA.
The president emphasized that Yamal was “very excited” and that “it would feel very bad for him” not to receive the award. He remarked that “we didn’t hear anything, they are very tight‑lipped and there was mystery”. These words reflect the club’s frustration over the lack of information.
Laporta also analysed Barça’s loss to Real Madrid, a 1‑2 setback that he described as “a hard blow”. He noted that “the players are young people and they recover quickly” and that, despite not having deployed their game, “we remain at the top of the league”. He also stated that “Flick is the ideal coach for Barça”.
Laporta claims Yamal won the Ballon d’Or, despite Kane
Awards and results at the Gala
At the Gala, Lamine Yamal finished in third place, just behind Kylian Mbappé, while Rodri Hernández placed fourth. With Ferran Torres, ranked sixteenth and already at PSG, the first Barça player to appear in the Ballon d'Or countdown was Pau Cubarsí, who landed in twelfth place, near the Top 10. These results highlight the presence of the club’s young talents in the competition.
Cubarsí also stood out in the Young Talent Award and hopes to receive the prestigious Golden Boy, announced by the Italian newspaper Tuttosport in November and presented in mid‑December. The centre‑back, however, did not travel to London with the Barça delegation. In his words, “this award is for Cubarsí”, underscoring the club’s admiration for his teammate.
Alexia Putellas wins her third Ballon d'Or in London
Javier Alfaro Joan Garcia, nominated for Goalkeeper of the Year, expressed his joy at being present and sharing the stage with Unai Simón and David Raya, saying “the three of us are alike and different, the three of us deserve to be here”. He also commented that his adaptation to Barça has been “with great ease” and that “looking back, I am proud of how everything has gone”. These statements close the evening with a tone of optimism and recognition of the collective work.