Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri has strongly backed his international teammate Lamine Yamal to claim the Ballon d’Or in the near future. Speaking in an exclusive interview with DAZN, the 29-year-old midfield maestro showered praise on the Barcelona winger, describing him as an absolute “animal” on the pitch.
Rodri, who famously made history by beating Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior to lift the prestigious Ballon d’Or trophy in 2024, insisted that Yamal’s trajectory points directly toward the top of the footballing world. He emphasized that the teenage prodigy represents both the present and the future of Spanish football.
“One day he will win a Ballon d’Or because he is an animal. He is the present and future of Spanish football. Players of that caliber, who are unique in the world, will always have media repercussions, for better or for worse. But he’s very mature and very focused about some things for only 18 years old.”
Teenage prodigy maintains elite focus despite narrow award miss
Yamal, 18, has continued to take the football world by storm with his immense talent and maturity. The spectacular forward came agonizingly close to making history when he narrowly missed out on the 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or, which was ultimately awarded to Paris Saint-Germain’s French winger Ousmane Dembélé following his domestic treble success. Despite falling just short of the ultimate prize behind Dembélé, Yamal walked away from the Paris gala with the Kopa Trophy, cementing his status as the best under-21 player on the planet.
Rodri noted that playing at such an elite level brings intense media scrutiny and pressure, but lauded the young Barcelona star for maintaining a grounded, hyper-focused mindset that belies his age. With Yamal continuing to dictate matches at the highest level for both club and country, Rodri believes it is only a matter of time before the winger takes his place at the absolute pinnacle of individual football honors.
