Hristo Stoichkov is throwing his support behind Lamine Yamal as the leading candidate for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
The 1994 winner believes the young Barcelona winger deserves the award, even with fewer titles than rivals like Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha. “If he wins, I will personally present the award to him,” Stoichkov said on Carrusel Deportivo.
He downplayed the impact of the FIFA Club World Cup on the voting process, noting, “I don’t think this tournament plays a major role in the Ballon d’Or, as it is something completely different. These are tournaments that go beyond the regular championships.”
Stoichkov believes Yamal, just 18, still has a strong chance before the September awards in Paris. “Lamine Yamal is a very young player who still has a long career ahead of him,” he said, suggesting the teenager could even break Ronaldo Nazario’s 1997 record.
He also praised Pedri and Raphinha for their title-winning efforts and mentioned contenders like Vitinha, Marquinhos, and Dembele. Still, Stoichkov made it clear, his bet is on Yamal.
