Boluwatife Kehinde
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‎Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal has vowed to keep pushing toward the pinnacle of world football after finishing second in the Ballon d’Or rankings in France.
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‎The 18-year-old forward, widely regarded as one of the brightest talents of his generation, walked away from the Paris ceremony with his second consecutive Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best U-21 player in the world.
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‎Yaal’s achievement underlines his steady rise in global football, as he continues to deliver standout performances for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team. Winning the Kopa Trophy back-to-back places him in elite company and reaffirms his status as the leading figure among football’s new generation of stars.
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‎The teenager ranked ahead of other highly-rated youngsters, including France’s Désiré Doué, Portugal’s João Neves, Brazilian prodigy Estevão, and Turkey’s Kenan Yildiz.
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‎Despite his impressive finish, Yamal fell just short of clinching the Ballon d’Or itself, which went to Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé after an outstanding 2024/25 season. However, Yamal showed maturity beyond his years by congratulating the Frenchman on his success.
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‎In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the Barcelona forward expressed gratitude and determination, writing: “God’s plan is perfect, you have to climb to get to the top. Happy for the Kopa Trophy x2 and I congratulate Ousmane Dembélé for the award and the great season.”
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‎His words highlight both humility and ambition, traits that have endeared him to fans and pundits alike. While acknowledging Dembélé’s achievement, Yamal made it clear he sees himself on a path that will eventually lead to the game’s ultimate prize.
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‎For Barcelona, Yamal’s continued growth is a source of optimism as the club looks to rebuild a dominant era around young talent. For Spain, his emergence signals the arrival of a player capable of defining the national team’s future.
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‎With two Kopa trophies already secured before his 19th birthday, the countdown has already begun to when Yamal might finally lift the Ballon d’Or itself.