Hansi Flick backs Lamine Yamal for Ballon d’Or after historic Barcelona night

Hansi Flick has backed Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, responding to Jose Mourinho’s support for Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe.

Yamal strengthened his claim during Barcelona’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Feyenoord on Wednesday, scoring once and creating two goals in a performance that also saw him become the youngest captain in the club’s history.

The Spain international took the armband in the 71st minute after Raphinha was substituted. Pedri had already left the pitch several minutes earlier.

At 19 years and 59 days, Yamal surpassed the previous Barcelona record held by Bojan Krkic, who captained the club aged 20 years and 56 days in a 2010 Copa del Rey match.

Yamal then marked the occasion by scoring the first direct free-kick of his career for Barcelona. He took advantage of a poorly positioned Feyenoord wall to deceive goalkeeper Tirk Ernst in the 77th minute.

The goal came in Yamal’s 156th appearance for Barcelona.

After the match, Flick made clear that he believes Yamal should receive the game’s most prestigious individual award.

“He is my player, Lamine is a Barcelona player and he deserves the Ballon d’Or,” Flick said, in comments highlighted by ESPN.

“Lamine has exceptional quality. He is a unique player. Nobody else has what he brings to the pitch.”

Flick also expressed his disappointment that Raphinha and Pedri were not included in the 30-player Ballon d’Or shortlist.

“Raphinha played a great match, and he and Pedri should have been on the list,” he said. “They are both excellent players, but this is something we cannot change.”

Feyenoord manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, a former Barcelona player, also said Yamal had the ability to win the award.

“At this age, he has already won almost everything, apart from the Champions League. The fans adore him,” said the Dutchman.

“He can win the Ballon d’Or. I compare him with Messi and Ronaldinho. He can achieve it; the only question is when.”

Yamal, however, has rejected the idea of personally campaigning for the award after finishing second in both the 2024 and 2025 editions.

“I do not need to campaign for the Ballon d’Or, and I am not thinking about it,” he said before the Feyenoord match.

“I am proud of my team and my national team. We are world champions and I have won La Liga, so I cannot ask for more.”

He added: “That is your job, the voters’ job. I will not start begging for anything.”

The winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or will be announced at a ceremony in London on 26 October.