Lamine Yamal plays down Dembele's Ballon d'Or snub

At the pre-match press conference before Barcelona's Champions League meeting with Feyenoord, Lamine Yamal was asked about Ousmane Dembele's public comments on the 2026 Ballon d'Or contenders. Dembele, the 2026 winner, did not include Yamal on his personal list. Instead, the PSG forward named his teammates Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and William Pacho. Yamal responded with a relaxed smile, saying that it was Dembele's personal choice and that he is happy with his own season. He even joked that Dembele is “Kylian Mbappe's friend”, a remark that shifted the tone from controversy to humour. A key detail is that Dembele did not put his own name on the list either. This suggests the list was less about objective talent assessment and more about chemistry with the players he trains with every day. Yamal also made clear that their relationship remains good and that he does not treat the omission as an insult. For a 19-year-old, this calm reaction is a valuable signal of mental maturity. Unless Barcelona and PSG meet in the knockout stage, the story is likely to fade quickly. Before that, Yamal's focus is on Feyenoord and on letting his performances speak on the pitch.