Lamine Yamal Backed By Rodri To Win Ballon D'Or In The Future

Rodri expects Spain and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal to capture a future Ballon d'Or, as the teenager heads into a first World Cup after a record-breaking club season and growing influence for La Roja on the global stage.

The Manchester City midfielder, who claimed the Ballon d'Or in 2024, believes Yamal already performs at elite standard and could soon follow on that awards list, especially if Spain turn strong tournament expectations into a title triumph.

Eighteen-year-old Yamal comes into the World Cup after helping Barcelona secure back-to-back LaLiga titles, while also building a personal scoring record that places the winger among the most productive Spanish players in the club’s modern domestic history.

During the 2025-26 LaLiga campaign, Yamal struck 16 league goals for Barcelona; among Spanish players at the club this century, only David Villa has managed a higher single-season total in the competition, scoring 18 goals in the 2010-11 league season.

Rodri highlighted Yamal’s personality as much as the left-footed talent, stressing that the wider public may not fully understand the teenager’s character while Spain’s squad sees maturity and strong habits that match the impressive numbers.

"He's already a star, but with the future he has ahead of him, it's impressive," Rodri told DAZN about Yamal.

"One day he'll win the Ballon d'Or, he's a beast. He's a spectacular guy. I have a very good relationship with him. People don't know him that well. I would encourage people to get to know him. He's a fantastic guy. He's incredibly mature. In some ways, he has a somewhat distorted image. He's a fantastic kid. He has amazing values for his age. Very focused, very mature. Let's not forget he's 18, just like we all were. I'm happy because he's growing so much."

Lamine Yamal Ballon d'Or hopes and record statistics

Yamal’s impact has extended into Europe as well, where the Barcelona attacker became the youngest footballer to score 10 Champions League goals, reaching the mark at 18 years and 248 days and surpassing Kylian Mbappe’s previous record from 2017 of 18 years and 350 days.

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This domestic and European output strengthens Spain's attacking options heading into the summer showpiece, with Rodri and Yamal expected to play leading roles for a national team now viewed among leading contenders for the trophy.

Spain and Lamine Yamal Ballon d'Or narrative at the World Cup

Spain complete preparations with a final warm-up fixture against Peru before starting their World Cup campaign, where performances could further enhance Yamal’s awards profile if the winger returns from injury and delivers key moments for La Roja.

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La Roja open against Cape Verde on June 15 in the group stage, then meet Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, with coaching staff confident Yamal will regain fitness in time for the first match and add extra attacking threat on the right side.

With Spain chasing another world title and Yamal already holding major scoring records for club and country, Rodri’s belief that the Barcelona youngster will secure a Ballon d'Or now depends on how those performances translate on football’s biggest stage.